A renewed era of space exploration is upon us, and many exciting missions will be headed to space in the coming years. These include crewed missions to the Moon and the creation of permanent bases there. Beyond the Earth-Moon system, there are multiple proposals for crewed missions to Mars and beyond. This presents significant challenges since a one-way transit to Mars can take six to nine months. Even with new propulsion technologies like nuclear rockets, it could still take more than three months to get to Mars.
In addition to the physical and mental stresses imposed on the astronauts by the duration and long-term exposure to microgravity and radiation, there are also the logistical challenges these types of missions will impose (i.e., massive spacecraft, lots of supplies, and significant expense). Looking for alternatives, the European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating hibernation technology that would allow their astronauts to sleep for much of the voyage and arrive at Mars ready to explore.
This researcher was the subject of a recent study led by Alexander Choukr, a professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), and Thu Jennifer Ngo-Anh a payload coordinator with the ESAs Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programs. The paper that describes their findings was recently published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
As they indicated in their study, the main challenges when planning for a mission to Mars involve optimizing the overall mass of the spacecraft and maintaining the crews physical and mental health. In terms of supplies alone, this means bringing enough food, water, and other necessities (like medicine) to last at least two years. As Ngo-Anh said in a recent ESA press release:
We are talking about 30 kg [66 lbs] per astronaut per day, and on top of that we need to consider radiation as well as mental and physiological challenges. Where there is life, there is stress. The strategy would minimize boredom, loneliness, and aggression levels linked to the confinement in a spacecraft.
This strategy involves inducing a state of torpor in the astronauts, similar to what mammals experience during hibernation. This consists of reducing the metabolic rate of an organism until they enter a period of suspended animation, which allows them to preserve energy. In the context of spaceflight, reducing the metabolic rate of a crew en route to Mars by 25% would dramatically reduce the necessary supplies and the size of the habitat involved.
The practice of putting people into a state of suspended animation has been carried out in hospitals since the 1980s. By inducing hypothermia in patients reducing their heart rate and metabolism, doctors can perform complex and time-consuming surgeries with a greater chance of success. However, this process is not an active energy reduction method and doesnt include most of the advantages of torpor.
In nature, animals hibernate to survive through winter when temperatures drop for months and food and water become scarce. During this time, they will reduce their heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions to a fraction of their normal rate, and their body temperature will drop close to that of their surroundings (aka. ambient temperature).
While many species rely on hibernation to survive long periods of scarcity (like tardigrades, frogs, and various species of reptiles), bears are perhaps the best known. They also appear to be the best role model for human hibernation in space since they have a comparable body mass to humans, reduce their body temperature by only a few degrees, and acquire extra body fat before entering this state.
But as medical research has shown, humans also lose more muscle mass and bone density and are at greater risk of heart failure than their ursine kin. As Prof. Choukr explained:
However, research shows that bears exit their den healthily in spring with only marginal loss of muscle mass. It only takes them about 20 days to be back to normal. This teaches us that hibernation prevents disuse atrophy of muscle and bone, and protects against tissue damage.
The crucial factor appears to be lower testosterone levels in humans since estrogens strongly regulate energy metabolism. The very specific and different balance of hormones in females or males and their role in regulating metabolism suggest that women could be preferred candidates, Prof. Choukr added.
To accommodate deep-space hibernation technology, engineers could build soft-shell pods with fine-tuned settings aboard future generations of spacecraft. This would consist of a quiet environment with low lighting, high levels of humidity, and low temperatures of less than ten degrees Celsius (50 F). The astronauts would wear clothing to prevent overheating and wearable sensors to measure their posture, temperature, and heart rate.
Water containers would surround every capsule to provide radiation protection as the astronauts remain in a state of torpor. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence will maintain the ship and wake the crew if an anomaly or emergency. As Alexander explained:
Hibernation will actually help protect people from the harmful effects of radiation during deep space travel. Away from Earths magnetic field, damage caused by high-energy particles can result in cell death, radiation sickness or cancer. Besides monitoring power consumption and autonomous operations, the computers onboard will maintain optimal performance of the spacecraft until the crew could be woken up.
These efforts mirror similar studies conducted by NASA, which entered into a partnership with Atlanta-based aerospace company SpaceWorks to investigate the long-term potential of hibernation technology. The initial 24-month study concluded in 2016, with NASA announcing its intent to keep supporting the companys research. These and other studies on hibernation for deep-space missions could also lead to new applications for patient care on Earth.
As the 21st century unfolds, we could see interplanetary missions that resemble the well-established sci-fi trope crews awaking from their cryo chambers to deal with mission-related problems. Here at home, induced torpor could become a common medical procedure for people with a terminal illness or severe injuries, giving doctors the time they need to come up with treatments.
The applications might even extend to interstellar travel! Given the distances involved and the limits of our propulsion technology, a crewed interstellar mission could take centuries or millennia to reach even the nearest stars! Assuming future generations want to undertake these voyages and dont have some fancy new propulsion system (or a huge budget), hibernation technology may be the way theyll get it done!
Further Reading: ESA, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Like Loading...
More here:
Could Astronauts Hibernate on Long Space Voyages? - Universe Today
- NASA-funded pulsed plasma rocket concept aims to send astronauts to Mars in 2 months - Space.com - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Ed Dwight, first African American candidate for space travel, takes off 60 years later - ABC News - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- 90-Year-Old Man Breaks Space Travel Record: 'Everybody Needs to Do This' - Newsweek - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Mars in a Flash: How Pulsed Plasma Rockets Are Revolutionizing Space Travel - SciTechDaily - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Ed Dwight, the First Black Astronaut Candidate in the U.S., Finally Travels to Space at 90 Years Old - Smithsonian Magazine - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Ed Dwight, America's First Black Astronaut Candidate, Makes History by Finally Reaching Space at 90 - Yahoo New Zealand News - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- After 60 years, the countrys first black astronaut candidate gets to travel to space - Washington Examiner - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Meet Ed Dwight, First Black Man Trained As Astronaut To Go To Space After 63 Years - NDTV - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- The Billionaire Space Race Heats Up With Blue Origin's Latest Launch - Robb Report - May 21st, 2024 [May 21st, 2024]
- Startups have taken big strides this year to bring back space travel - Fortune - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Isolation and annoying co-workers: Solving the stress of a trip to Mars - Astronomy Magazine - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- SPACE PERSPECTIVE UNVEILS THE FUTURE OF HUMAN SPACE TRAVEL - PR Newswire - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Space Perspective Unveils The Future Of Human Space Travel - Space Daily - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Brokaw: 'Constellation' is an unsettling story of space travel - Daily Herald - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- The New Companies Developing Tech on the Space Coast - SpaceCoastDaily.com - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- A space tourism milestone has been reached. Now, testing begins. - Travel Weekly - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Space Perspective Unveils Test Capsule, Marks Milestone in Titusville's Spaceflight Journey | TalkOfTitusville.com - Talk of Titusville - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Former West High student now heads tech startup making pharmaceuticals in space - Salt Lake Tribune - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Space travel: How does it feel to live and work on Mars? - Mint Lounge - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- NASA's Vision for the Future: A New Space Station by 2030 - Medriva - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- How antimatter engines could fly humans to other stars in just a few years - Business Insider Nederland - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Kam Ghaffarian's Moonshots - The New York Times - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Tiny robot's successful first surgery could have huge implications for space travel - ReadWrite - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Space Health Challenges and Innovations in Deep Space Travel - Medriva - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- NASA is Done Setting Fires Inside its Doomed Cargo Spacecraft - Universe Today - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- 'The Space Race' Review: Why Was NASA So White? - The New York Times - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- The New Corporate Frontier: Implications of the Space Race on Ground-Based Telescopes and Astronomical Research - Medriva - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- This Remotely Controlled Robot Will Conduct a Simulated Surgery on the International Space Station - Smithsonian Magazine - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen: Reflecting on Canada's Role in Space Exploration and Preparing for Artemis II ... - Medriva - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Axiom Space's Ax-3 Mission: A Revolutionary Step in Commercial Space Travel - Medriva - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- MBRSC to begin second Mars simulation mission on January 26 - SatelliteProME.com - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Starfield players outraged over missing space exploration feature - Dexerto - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- This Alternate Method of Space Travel in Starfield is Way More Immersive Than Menus - GameRant - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Starfield: How to space travel and scan planets - App Trigger - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Why Do Almost Half of Moon Missions Fail? Here's Why Space Is ... - Inverse - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Researchers Discover Yet Another Way That Space Travel Kills You - The Debrief - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Moon landing rekindles interest in space exploration - New Zealand Herald - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- What's it like to win a trip to space? - BBC - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- UNLV Earns NASA Awards to Bolster Space-Related Research ... - UNLV NewsCenter - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- 7 Best Ships To Unlock In Starfield - Screen Rant - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Starfield players agree that its first dozen hours are its weakest: 'OK ... - PC Gamer - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Buddhists Do Not Want Space Junk to Fall on Your Head - E-International Relations - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Will humans ever go to Mars? | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Unleashing Power of Tether Space Transport - Jammu Kashmir ... - Daily Excelsior - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Frustrated Starfield players say controversial low review scores are ... - Dexerto - September 3rd, 2023 [September 3rd, 2023]
- Saudi space mission to launch on May 21, first Arab woman astronaut to embark on historic journey to ISS - wknd. - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Saudi astronauts to launch space mission on May 21 - Saudi Gazette - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- First Saudi space mission to launch on May 21 with Kingdoms first astronauts - Al Arabiya English - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Flying in space would slash Sydney to London journey time to just two hours - 9News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Flights from Sydney to London take two hours with outer space ... - Innovation News Network - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The Final Frontier for the Faithful: Islamic Rulings on Space - E-International Relations - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Twitter is still vital for the space community. A former NASA astronaut ... - Space.com - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- CNL Aims to Better Protect Canadian Astronauts Through New Project Funded by the Canadian Space Agency - Yahoo Finance - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- SpaceX Announces Seat Reservations For Space Station Travel - Traveling Lifestyle - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Axiom-2 Mission Set to Launch with Diverse Crew of Private ... - Transcontinental Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- New Mexico has surreal sand dunes, snowy mountains, space alien ... - Knoxville News Sentinel - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- To Space and Back: Students Conduct Plant Science Research on ... - ISS National Lab - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- NASA Tests Robot Snakes to Send to Other Planets - Newsweek - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- HAL 9000 Is the Most Terrifying Movie A.I. - Collider - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Space Travel Market 2023 to 2029 Industry Analysis, Growth ... - Cottonwood Holladay Journal - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Virgin Galactic: Revolutionizing Space Travel and the Future of ... - Best Stocks - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Virgin Galactics first private space tourism flight to take off in June - Travel Tomorrow - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- NASA PC-12 to conduct aerial flights over Cleveland roadways - AviationSource News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Florida's 'Space Coast' Has Incredible Beaches, Food, and Dolphins Here's How to Plan a Trip - Yahoo Life - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Fast X adds Jason Momoa to the Vin Diesel-driven franchise for the first instalment of a series finale that already feels like its spinning its wheels... - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Airstreams new travel trailer fits a swanky studio apartment into less than 17 feet of living space - The Manual - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Steven Wright, Master of the One-Liner, Tries His Hand at a Novel - The New York Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Poop falling from the sky: Here's how often that happens - CBS News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- How will we react when the aliens arrive? - The Irish Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Luxury stores with the most beautiful interiors - Luxebook - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Is it really possible to travel back in time? - BBC Sky at Night Magazine - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The pros and cons of space colonization - Yahoo News - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- In space, failure is an option often the only one - Nature.com - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Virgin Galactic Announces Return to Space, Crew | - Santa Fe Reporter - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- A tour inside the Thailand's first space themed hotel - Manila Bulletin - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Buzz Aldrin named Brigadier General by Space Force - We Are The Mighty - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Virgin Orbit Failure Casts Cloud Over Space Voyages - Kiplinger's Personal Finance - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- OPINION: A Return to Profitability for Commercial Aviation - Avionics ... - Aviation Today - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- 12 Realistic Films About Space Travel and Making Contact With Aliens - Wealth Of Geeks - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Dont be fooled: 10 of the biggest travel myths, busted - Sydney Morning Herald - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]