Fitness to fly: aeromedical checks, radiation and long-duration health

Before anyone flies at Lumen, they see a member of our flight medicine team. Many applicants worry about this more than about the flying itself, so here is what actually happens.

For the Private Spaceflight Licence you need a class 2 aeromedical certificate. It covers vision, hearing, heart health, balance and mental fitness, and takes about half a day. The vast majority of applicants pass. Common conditions such as corrected eyesight or well-managed asthma are rarely a barrier. If something needs further investigation, we will explain why and help you through it.

Commercial flying requires a class 1 certificate, which is more thorough and renewed every year. Some courses add specialist requirements. Medevac pilots need an enhanced certificate because they fly high-workload missions with patients aboard. Gas Giant Skimming requires a radiation-dose clearance, since Jupiter's belts impose strict lifetime exposure limits and we monitor every skimmer pilot's dose throughout training and beyond. Deep Explorer Command includes a psychological suitability review, because multi-year voyages place unusual demands on mental health.

Long-duration health is my research field. On an Odyssey expedition or a weeks-long Tempest run, sleep, nutrition, exercise and social contact become flight-safety issues. We teach every outer-system student practical habits to manage them, and our flight medicine clinics on Luna, the Olympus Ring and Enceladus support them during training.

On Passenger Liner Command, health is about others as well as yourself. Starliner captains are responsible for 1,200 passengers, and medical diversions are among the most common decisions they face. We teach candidates to work with onboard medical staff and to make diversion decisions quickly.

My advice to applicants is simple: book your aeromedical early, be honest about your history, and ask questions. Our job is not to keep people out of the cockpit. It is to make sure that when you are in it, you are well enough to fly safely for a long career.