What To Know
- We are entering a new era of space exploration where not only will we venture to places humanity has never been, like Mars, but we will also return to long-forgotten destinations like the Moon.
- Mason hopes this “deepest examination we’ve ever had of a space crew” will help scientists understand what measures need to be implemented in the future to protect space tourists and professional astronauts.
- What additional research is needed to fully understand the impact of space travel on the human body.
We are entering a new era of space exploration where not only will we venture to places humanity has never been, like Mars, but we will also return to long-forgotten destinations like the Moon. With the support of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, a new branch dedicated to space tourism is opening up. The future looks promising, but one pressing question remains: How does space travel affect the human body?
The impact on space tourists
Answering this question is crucial not only for space agencies and astronauts aspiring to reach Mars but also for the burgeoning industry of space tourists. Companies are eager to take anyone willing to pay for a journey literally out of this world. However, understanding the effects on the human body is vital.
Insights from inspiration4
Recent advancements have come from a fascinating project that uses new data from four SpaceX space tourists aboard the first fully civilian orbital flight in 2021. According to an article by The Washington Post, researchers from over 100 institutions worldwide examined data collected from this group of tourists. They found that our bodies undergo various changes during space travel, most of which return to normal within a few months of returning to Earth.
Stress and recovery
It was already known that space flights cause high levels of stress on our bodies, from radiation to the disorienting effect of weightlessness. Previous studies on astronauts have shown that space travel can cause health issues like bone mass loss, heart problems, and vision and kidney issues in the medium term. However, the sample size of astronauts is small, with fewer than 700 people having traveled to space in human history.
The inspiration4 mission
Fortunately, the four American tourists who spent three days in space during the Inspiration4 mission agreed to make their data public. The first results from these space tourists, compared with those of 64 astronauts, were published in Nature. Researchers found that during their stay in space, people experienced changes in blood, heart, skin, proteins, kidneys, genes, mitochondria, telomeres, cytokines, and other health indicators. However, about 95% of these biomarkers returned to their normal levels within three months.
Fast recovery
The main conclusion is that people recover quickly after space flights, according to Christopher Mason of Weill Cornell Medicine, one of the study’s lead authors. Mason hopes this “deepest examination we’ve ever had of a space crew” will help scientists understand what measures need to be implemented in the future to protect space tourists and professional astronauts.
Intriguing questions
- What long-term effects might space travel have on human health?
- How can space tourism companies ensure the safety of their passengers?
- What additional research is needed to fully understand the impact of space travel on the human body?
As space tourism becomes more accessible, understanding its effects on the human body is more important than ever. The findings from the Inspiration4 mission provide a promising start, but much remains to be explored.
