Effects Of Long Term Space Flight

This all comes from the research on Shuttle mission STS-47 and is used as a reference to bone and muscle loss in space

Tristan’s long-term dream to traverse space becomes a reality when he is chosen to pilot a crew of eighty Alliance personnel on a space ship to Mars. “We seldom see in the night sky the dramas that pass us by.” The trip to the red planet leads him on a dangerous and taxing pursuit to make the first claim on ‘treasures’ still buried in the Martian soil: that could steer him, and his team members on to ground breaking discoveries of the century! Due to the painfully long duration of the trip to Mars, the crew is expected to swap roommates every twenty-eight days, this according to Admiral Thomas Booth has to do with “primordial body rhythms and lunar timing” thus is deemed necessary as it will help build anticipation and contest boredom amongst the crew. This, however, leads to an interesting turn of events. The team still finds that the odds are stacked against them. What with the hazards of space threatening their livelihoods and mission, will they all make it to Mars alive?

How long would a “long term” space flight be? According to our records, the longest that human has been off Earth is almost 438 days, and it is the mission operated by Russian space station Mir. (Beings not Made for Space, Kenneth Chang, 2014) Long-term space flight requests that astronauts have to be exposed to the real space environment, which includes microgravity, the significant increase in radiation, variation in temperature and space view. The major impacts that I will be talking about are microgravity and space radiation. Due to these changes of space environment from that of the Earth, astronauts will face the changes on their body and health, some of the changes would be negative. For example, astronauts will see the significant changes in their body; their whole bodies will expand, the mass of their bones and muscles would lose, and some of them might have farsighted eyes. There will also be increase in risk of Alzheimer’s disease, damage in immune system and destroys of microbiomes. To build a better space environment, scientists have been working hard to find out what is causing the health issues and ways to solve them. They have done well-known researches such as “Twins Study” between Mark and Kelly Scott. The latest technology that involved is called artificial gravity; it is considered desirable for long-term space flight as well as human habitat in space.

Among all of the wildest things mankind has dreamed of, traveling among the stars has been among the top. Space travel has rightfully been romanticized into a fantastic voyage of discovery and adventure, but there is much more to it than what the movies show. Every detail must be considered when bringing space flight into reality, and that includes the dangers and how to safely dive into deep space.

The effects of travelling in space on the human body is a subject that is currently being researched increasingly in-depth, with many unanswered questions. There is little data on long term exposure to conditions in space, and a limited range of data based on the restraints of which demographics have been exposed

On a seven to eight month journey to Mars, astronauts will suffer from boredom. Common things astronauts do in space are looking out the window, work out, and watch movies and listen to music. Looking out the window is pretty cool when astronauts are in space because of the beautiful view. Although, looking out the window for seven months just might make you go crazy. Watching movies would be fun, but watching two hour movies when there are twenty four hours in just one day of seven months is nothing.

Space travel is becoming more commonly talked about and could affect future generations, but it is important to know the effects on one’s body during space travel in order to make adjustments for the future to ensure the safety of the astronauts. I am hypothesizing that if humans are exposed to the conditions of space for a prolonged period of time, then calcium levels will drop in the body and bone loss will occur. Calcium, along with other hormones, are important for maintaining strong bones.

Long term exposure in space poses multiple threats to astronauts who are tasked to complete high risk and reward missions. Some of the most prominent threats include loss of muscle mass, decrease in bone density, and weakening of the immune system. Other dangerous potential effects are alteration in circadian rhythms and exposure to radiation. Each effect either has current treatments, or are currently being researched to discover more effective forms to combat the potential dangers they pose.

Currently, the next step in the aviation evolution scale is the commercialization of space travel. In the past, astronauts had to endure rigorous training and had to have the appropriate credentials in order to make the flight to space. Men and women would be selected based on their performance in the armed forces and evaluated in order to determine if the individual could withstand the mission. Yet, Virgin Galactic aims to provide the opportunity for those who are interested, and can afford it, to travel to space. This project will use Virgin Galactic as a company model to demonstrate the programs created to prepare individuals for space travel. Specifically, the physiological effects on the human body will be evaluated and an analysis will

And before they are chosen to be candidates they have to compete against thousands of other applicants”(Koerth-Baker 155). After being approved to fly an astronaut is finished training. If that astronaut is chosen to take a trip to Mars they have to take a humongous trip through space. “Mars would require a six-month journey to the planet, an 18-month stay and a six-month trip back” (Daniels, 1). Not only is the journey to Mars massive, it also contributes to many major health problems.

Humans are planning more space missions to Mars and deeper into the solar system. These manned missions require longer periods of time in space than any human has ever spent, as well as traveling farther from Earth’s protection than ever before. There has been very little research conducted regarding the effects of prolonged space travel on the human body. This paper examines how space travel will likely alter bodily functions. The evolution of life on Earth means that humans are adapted and specialized to live and function in Earth’s environment. The environment of open space presents hazards such as: solar radiation, microgravity, and extreme isolation. Prolonged exposure to these hazards could result in cardiovascular issues, cancers, cellular disruption, decreased bone density, osteoporosis, psychological issues, and more. It is important for scientists to research these hazards and their effects on the human body further so as to find solutions and ways to combat the negative outcomes.

In the year 2042, aerospace engineers continue to struggle with the challenge of a manned mission to mars. Biomedical complications disrupt any advancements in the effort, as astronaut safety is considered the most fundamental aspect of a successful mission. In order to study the effects of weightlessness and radiation in a deep space environment, NASA launches a government funded space station into high earth orbit. The astronaut’s medical health is studied over a six month period, as their bodies adapt to the low gravity environment and radiation becomes a crucial concern.

According to the Oxford dictionary, outer space is defined to be “the physical universe beyond the atmosphere of earth” (Oxford, 2017). Space travel specifically long-term assignments can be difficult due to the extreme environment consisting of a hard vacuum, high levels of radiation and microgravity being hazardous to the health and wellbeing of the crew. The controversary regarding space travel is regarding the adverse effects on the individuals’ health. As humans are not able to properly adapt physically and biologically to space, a series of extensive training must take place before space travel is allowed. Overall the training period for an astronaut is approximately 18 months or longer depending on experience. There are variety of procedures astronauts must go through such as using the Space Vehicle Mock-Up Facility which gives a simulation of how they will be operating the space shuttle and how they will move about, the KC-35 which provides them with roughly 20 seconds of weightlessness, a machine called the Precision Air-Bearing Floor assists astronauts when moving larger objects in space and lastly the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory which allows them to practice extravehicular activities i.e. space walks (NASA, 2009). Astronauts are required to float underwater for up to seven hours while operating a full-sized model of a space vehicle (NASA, 2009). Along with that, they must learn medical procedures, survival training in case of emergency and

With space travel being a topic much looked at since the middle of the 20th century, it is only inevitable that man has already entered space and taken that step into space travel. However, even though man has done so before, it does not necessarily man should continue to do what can be done by the technological advantages of this age; robots. Having the ability to send exclusively robotic missions into space provides many advantages that a human accompanied mission could not also have claim to, one obvious variation being in the safety of a robotic mission versus a manned mission. Humans are fragile when it comes to being put into environments other than their own (Colwell & Britt, n.d.) and there are a lot of physical health setbacks. When in zero-g in space, human bodies face many changes such as a sudden height increase, and even face a weakening of the bones that can later lead to bones breaking much easier from even small accidents (“Manned or Unmanned?”, 2001). Humans also face the risk of being exposed to radiation when there is no atmosphere surrounding them to protect them (“Manned or Unmanned?”, 2001) and the temperatures of different planets and elements of space make it nearly impossible for a human to be able to travel to certain places (Colwell & Britt, n.d). Robots, however, do not face this kind of setback and are much more tolerant to the environment outside of earth’s atmosphere. Human lives are also at risk when in space, and can be lost very quickly due

One of the many concerns and challenges associated with space travel and long term space flight has been the impact and harmful effects on human health. The increased electromagnetic radiation, pressure, and lowered gravity collectively disrupt the way the human body typically functions back on Earth. These foreign environmental factors can lead to alteration of the blood vessels, cancer, muscle loss, mental health issues, and weakening of the bones. Because of this, prolonged space travel journeys have been near impossible. Currently, research is being conducted to observe the extent of the damage inflicted by prolonged exposure and counteractive measures are being taken in order to increase the amount of time astronauts can safely reside in space. Astronauts aboard the ISS and animal test subjects sent to the ISS for periods of time have proven extremely valuable in measuring and quantifying these effects. Additionally NASA has been artificially testing these effects from Earth. Data from these experiments have allowed scientists to develop gene therapies, exercise routines, and materials that better absorb/reflect the harmful electromagnetic radiation. With continued improvement and study, we may be able to counter the harmful effects of long term space flight, thus expanding the distance and time we as humans can travel through the solar system.