Cape Canaveral, FL – Both NASA and SpaceX share ambitions of sending humans to Mars in the future. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long discussed plans to establish a colony on the Red Planet. NASA, on the other hand, has outlined potential manned missions to Mars in the 2030s. However, the realization of these goals faces significant challenges, with new concerns emerging surrounding the potential for astronaut kidney damage during extended space travel.
The journey to Mars, a distance of approximately 225 million kilometers from Earth, would likely require months, if not years, due to current space travel technology. While the development of nuclear-powered rockets could potentially shorten this duration, the technology remains experimental and unproven.
Researchers have uncovered troubling findings suggesting that space travel conditions could lead to kidney damage in astronauts. A recent study examined samples from over 40 space missions involving both humans and mice, revealing that prolonged space exposure caused certain kidney components to shrink in less than a month.
In addition to concerns over kidney damage, recent research has also indicated that even short durations in space can result in cognitive decline among astronauts. Safeguarding astronaut health, including protecting their kidneys from radiation damage, is crucial for enabling future deep space exploration missions.
The slow onset of radiation damage in the kidneys presents a significant challenge for monitoring astronaut health during extended space missions. Routine medical check-ups may not always detect kidney damage in time, necessitating alternative treatments to ensure the astronauts’ well-being.
Published in Nature Communications, the researchers behind the study emphasize the need for innovative technological or pharmaceutical solutions to mitigate the effects of cosmic radiation on astronauts’ kidneys. While shielding may not provide adequate protection, the development of novel approaches could be instrumental in enabling successful manned missions to Mars and beyond.