Image Credit: 20th Century Fox <\/p>\n
Manned missions to deep space present numerous challenges. In addition to the sheer amount of food, water and air necessary to keep a crew alive for months (or years) at a time, theres also the question of keeping them busy for the entirety of a long-duration flight. Exercise is certainly an option, but the necessary equipment will take up space and be a drain on power. <\/p>\n
In addition, theyll need room to move around, places to sleep, eat, work, and relax during their down time. Otherwise, they will be at risk of succumbing to feelings of claustrophobia, anxiety, insomnia, and depression among other things. <\/p>\n
NASA has been looking at a few options and one proposed solution is to put these crews into an induced state of hypothermia resulting in torpor a kind of hibernation. Rather than being awake for months or years on end, astronauts could enter a state of deep sleep at the beginning of their mission and then wake up near the end. This way, they would arrive refreshed and ready to work, rather than haggard and maybe even insane.<\/p>\n
If this is starting to sound familiar, its probably because the concept has been explored extensively by science fiction. Though it goes by different names cryosleep, reefersleep, cryostasis, etc. the notion of space explorers preserving their bodies through cryogenic suspension has been touched upon by numerous sci-fi authors, movies and franchises. <\/p>\n
But NASAs plan is a little different than what you might remember from 2001: A Space Odyssey or Aliens. Instead of astronauts stepping into a tube and having their temperature lowered, torpor would be induced via the RhinoChill a device that uses invasive tubes to shoot cooling liquid up the nose and into the base of the brain. <\/p>\n
Artists concept of sleeping to Mars. Photo Credit: SpaceWorks Enterprising <\/p>\n
To research the technology, NASA has teamed up with SpaceWorks, an Atlanta-based aerospace company that is investigating procedures for putting space crews into hibernation. During this years International Astronomical Congress which took place from Sept. 29th to Oct. 3rd in Toronto representatives from SpaceWorks shared their vision. <\/p>\n
According to the company, inducing torpor in a crew of astronauts would eliminate the need for accommodations like galleys, exercise equipment, and large living quarters. Instead, robots could electrically stimulate key muscle groups and intravenously deliver sustenance to ensure the health and well being of the astronauts while in transit. <\/p>\n
As Dr. Bradford,President of SpaceWorks Enterprises Inc., told Universe Today via email: <\/p>\n
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See the article here: <\/p>\n
NASA Investigating Deep-Space Hibernation Technology<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Manned missions to deep space present numerous challenges. In addition to the sheer amount of food, water and air necessary to keep a crew alive for months (or years) at a time, theres also the question of keeping them busy for the entirety of a long-duration flight Continue reading