According to a new study, exposure to space radiation has had a dangerous effect on the heart. NASA astronauts from the Apollo missions are the only humans to have gone beyond the protective magnet shield surrounding Earth. If NASA plans to send men to Mars in the future, they will have to address this issue for the safety of their crew.
RADIATION ON MARS WILL DANGER HEART
In the study, Apollo astronauts who went to the moon were compared with that of astronauts who never made it into space. They found that there an increased level of death from heart problems in deep-space explorers. To support this, researchers also found a negative effect on mice with radiation exposure. As the ISS gears up for retirement in 2024, NASA and the world are turning their attention to Mars. Radiation certainly doesn’t get any better out there. Hence, more research is being done to combat the issue.
HEART HEALTHY ASTRONAUTS ONLY ALLOWED ON MARS
Future astronauts will need to test their own blood vessel function on the moon to see if the radiation effects linger around. Meanwhile, researchers are beginning to examine options that will weaken the effect of radiation on Mars. One option they have is shielding. However, there are efforts being studied to protect the body. Previously, NASA believed it would take years of exposure before space radiation had an impact. Now, the study shows that just two weeks in deep space could be damaging.
HEART PROBLEMS JUST FIRST STEP FOR MARS MISSIONS
This study is a wake-up call. Many fail to realize just how complicated deep space missions are. Besides the technological aspect, there are a number of natural factors out there working against humanity. Sure, its’ fun to think about but we must remain realistic. Astronauts put their lives in danger for space exploration. Besides their heart, various parts of their mind and body could be at risk. As we get closer to launch, more problems will surely arise.
