NASA identifies five space dangers that can make life in space brutal for astronauts

For decades, humanity has looked toward Mars as the next giant leap in space exploration. Deep space travel, however, is strewn with invisible dangers that can seriously harm astronauts.

NASA’s Human Research Program has identified five hazards that astronauts will have to face during a mission to Mars.

This image is an illustration showing an astronaut walking on Mars.

Our planet has a protective magnetic field and atmosphere. But once astronauts step out of this protective zone, they are subjected to the ionizing radiation of space. High-energy galactic cosmic rays originating in supernovas, solar particle events, and coronal mass ejections are a huge threat to astronauts.

Astronauts exposed to space radiation can develop acute radiation sickness during the mission, while long-term effects include cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system issues, and even cancer.

NASA scientists are trying to understand the effects of space radiation on the human body better so that adequate measures may be taken to protect astronauts on deep space missions.

This image is an illustration showing sources of ionization radiation in interplanetary space.

While space presents physical dangers, some of the biggest challenges may come from the effects of prolonged isolation. A mission to the Red Planet will last for years. And for that entire duration, the astronauts will have very little interaction with anyone outside of their own crew. This kind of isolation and confinement, combined with circadian desynchronization and heavy workload, can affect the astronauts' performance and can negatively impact their health.

To address these risks, researchers are developing methods to monitor behavioral health so that they can come up with tools to make deep space missions a little easier for astronauts.

This image shows astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee inside a practice module for the aborted Apollo 1 mission at Cape Kennedy in 1967. All three astronauts, unfortunately, later lost their lives when a fire swept through the oxygen-filled Command Module during a pre-flight test on 27 January 1967.

On average, the Red Planet is 140 million miles away from Earth. Due to this vast distance, astronauts chosen for the mission will leave the Blue Planet for approximately three years. 

Additionally, they would also face a one-way communication delay of up to 20 minutes. Thus, it is of utmost importance for the crew to keep their rations, medical emergency supplies, and other essential items in abundance. However, even with all the necessary precautions taken, any equipment failure or unprecedented disruption might make rescue operations difficult due to the distance between the two planets. 

The image shows Franklin R. Chang-Diaz during an STS-111 mission spacewalk back in June 2002.

When astronauts travel to space, they experience a change in gravity. And while it might not sound critical, the implications it can have on the human body can be brutal. For example, during a mission to Mars and back, astronauts will have to encounter a total of three gravitational fields.

Initially, for the first six months, when the astronauts are approaching Mars, they will experience weightlessness. Next up, upon setting foot on the Red Planet, the crew will experience approximately one-third of Earth's gravity. Again, when the team makes it back to Earth, the gravity field will change accordingly.

When not made to work against Earth's gravitational load, weight-bearing bones lose 1-1.5% of mineral density per month. Moreover, water in the body shifting upwards due to the lack of gravity can put pressure on the eyes, causing visual impairments.

The image shows NASA astronaut Nick Hague collecting intraocular pressure from NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan for the Fluid Shifts study.

Microbes can become more dangerous in space. The cramped environment of a spacecraft can make it easier for microorganisms to travel from one person to another. Moreover, closed habitats may elevate stress levels and can also impact the immune system, thereby making astronauts even more vulnerable to infections. 

The image is a stock photo of a carrier rocket launch.