TEDDINGTON is at the centre of a massive scientific breakthrough which could revolutionise the way future astronauts exercise in space, Nub News can reveal today.

Local pilates teacher John Kennett, whose studios are at 135 High Street, has invented a 'jumping' machine which helps astronauts counter muscle loss and bone density during space flight and his invention will be tested in spaceflight conditions for the first time in France this week.

Lead scientist Dr Daniel Cleather, from St Mary's University in Twickenham, is also aboard the flight which will carry out its first test tomorrow (26 October).

Aerospace physiologist and reserve Army officer Tess Morris-Paterson, herself a former Teddington resident, will be the FIRST person to jump repeatedly in zero gravity conditions.

Inventor John has linked up with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK Space Agency, who jointly funded the ground-breaking project, to test the prototype of his machine in Bordeaux.

The machine will be trialled in Zero Gravity conditions during a Parabolic Flight Campaign aboard an Airbus 310 called Airzero G.

Shortly before the test flights, John told Nub News: "We have a phenomenal HIFIm team, all unique and each bringing something special to make our group not only well prepared, but good fun too."

The aeroplane, a normal airliner, is converted into a flying laboratory and will perform a roller coaster series of parabolas per flight, with each producing a stomach-churning 22 seconds of zero gravity.

Each flight will give more than 11 minutes in zero gravity and with more test flights due on Wednesday and Thursday a total 34 minutes of zero gravity will be experienced.

Scientists from St Mary's University involved in the project also include Dr Phil Price, a senior lecturer in Strength and Conditioning, who will be working on the trials from tomorrow until Thursday.

To create the zero gravity conditions, the aircraft will fly in an arc shape (parabola) during which the pilots will hit the throttle, soaring upwards at a 45 degree angle and reaching a maximum height of 8500 metres.

This manoeuvre, performed thirty times per flight, creates a brief magic moment of weightlessness when the astronauts will test the jumping machine.

Parabolic flights are useful for short-duration scientific and technological investigations in reduced gravity.

These flights are the only way to test microgravity with humans without going through lengthy astronaut-training and flights to the International Space Station.

For this reason, parabolic flights are often used to validate space instruments and train astronauts before spaceflight as the best way of replicating real space flight.

Former Royal Marine and amputee, Lee Spencer, will be making history as the first 'parastronaut' to test the HIFIm jump machine with his prosthetic leg.

Inventor John, a former Concorde aircraft engineer, built his equipment with the special effects boss Dominic Tuohy and lead special effects technician Vince Abbott, who make films like Star Wars, Mission Impossible and won an Oscar for 1917.

He has transported his exercise machine from his small Teddington studio to the Bordeaux test base, operated by Novespace, where it was loaded on board the aircraft with the support of the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The test aircraft is piloted simultaneously by a four-man crew specially trained to make parabolic flights.

They will be joined by astronaut fitness expert Dr Nora Petersen and physiotherapist and elite triathlete Becky Owen from St Mary's University will also be on board.

John's High Frequency Impulse for Microgravity (HIFIm) prototype has been designed to allow astronauts to perform a range of exercises including controlled squat jumps that are regarded as the most efficient way of promoting bone and muscle strength, which can be eroded through spending extended periods in space.

"Research has shown that jumping vastly improves muscle and bone density but the machines currently on the space station cannot be used for that," he told Nub News.

"The HIFIm is a multi-gym piece of equipment so would take up less space and weight than existing machines and would give astronauts a more complete work-out in a much shorter time," he explained.

Astronauts lose bone and muscle when in space for long periods of time.

The body deconditions very quickly and can lose 10% bone density in 6 months when in space; astronauts require exercise countermeasures to mitigate this debilitating effect on their bodies.

On board the International Space Station astronauts exercise for 2 hours per day, 6 days a week to mitigate the effect of zero gravity on their body.

John's multi-exercise countermeasure equipment aims to reduce this to between 10 and 30 minutes of exercise per day and replace all the current exercise machines on board the International Space Station with just HIFIm, which is designed for the Lunar space station, Gateway and Lunar and Martian bases.

The UK Space Agency is financially supporting the R&D programme along with the European Space Agency supplying the parabolic test flights and the Cologne-based European Astronaut Centre.

HIFIm also has many applications terrestrially for exercise and rehabilitation especially in areas of osteoporosis (low bone density) and rehabilitation

When the parabolic test flights were postponed in March, John took the opportunity to carry out feasibility studies with amputee Lee who holds four World records for rowing the Atlantic and is joining the trials in Bordeaux.

Lee, who visited the studios in Teddington to put the machine through its paces, told Nub News: "I can see it having a great place in exercise programmes as it allows you to do workouts such as squat jumps and leg presses.

"As an amputee these are very difficult and can cause stress to travel through the stump."

He added: "It gives a good cardiovascular workout too, so I'm keen to see the machine progressing and providing a great opportunity for amputee veterans."