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The Impact of Space Travel on Astronaut Health

They say that going to space changes you. Often, what’s being referenced is a shift in mindset, a renewed sense of perspective that comes from seeing our world from above, a phenomenon that’s been called the overview effect.

But it seems unlikely that rocketing off into the atmosphere, experiencing powerful g-force acceleration followed by a sudden weightlessness, then exposure to increased radiation and the utterly exotic environment of low-Earth orbit, doesn’t affect the human body in some way. This impact on the human body is still being studied by medical researchers, despite the well-known problems associated with space travel such as bone loss, heightened cancer risk, vision impairment, weakened immune systems, and mental health issues.

The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) project aims to shed light on these questions by providing valuable data on how spaceflight affects astronauts at a molecular level. With 26 papers published in various Nature journals, SOMA represents the largest database for aerospace medicine and space biology to date. This project is particularly important in light of the rise of crewed commercial missions in human spaceflight, with the datasets including clinical information from missions run by NASA, JAXA, and private space tourism companies like Axiom, Polaris Dawn, and SpaceX’s Inspiration4.

One fascinating finding from previous studies involved identical twins Scott and Mark Kelly. Researchers observed how Scott Kelly’s telomeres (repeating nucleic acids found at the end of DNA) got longer during his 340-day stay on the International Space Station compared to his twin Mark, who stayed on Earth. The study revealed that despite the benefits of longer telomeres, such as potential protection against aging, there were also risks associated with cancer. Fortunately, Scott Kelly’s telomeres returned to their preflight size upon his return to Earth.

SOMA’s data also suggest that short-term space jaunts, such as the three-day trips taken by commercial crews like Inspiration4, can have genetic effects similar to longer-term missions. Telomere lengthening during spaceflight and subsequent return to normal levels on Earth were observed in the Inspiration4 crew members, showcasing the potential effects of even short-duration space travel.

Despite these findings, the implications for astronaut health on longer space missions, such as those to Mars or moon bases, remain unclear due to limited sample sizes and the ongoing need for further research. Issues related to private individuals heading to space without rigorous health screenings raise ethical concerns, especially with the lack of regulations in place for commercial human spaceflight participants.

The AI legalese decoder can help navigate the complex legal and ethical landscape surrounding human spaceflight, ensuring that individuals have access to necessary health screenings and ethical considerations are addressed prior to embarking on a space journey. By utilizing AI technology, legal professionals can stay informed about the latest regulations and ethical guidelines in the fast-evolving space industry.

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