What Damages Can Happen to Your Body During a Mission to Mars

As Mars One is on a mission to establish settlement on Mars, they’ve discovered some very interesting facts about what happens to your body when you’ve set out on a 21 month mission to the red planet.

As of now, Mars is a very dangerous place to visit. There are so many advanced technological aspects that must go into place in order to sustain life as an earthling transitioning over. The technology required is a constant work in progress due to extreme cold (-284 degrees Fahrenheit) and hot temperatures (200 degrees Fahrenheit) and the inability to grow crops on Mars’ surface which lacks adequate sunlight. However, we are expected to colonize Mars by 2023.

Although we are aware that Mars is being prepared for civilization, and it takes a lot of hard work and time, this article isn’t based on this fact. It is based on specifically how a mission to Mars deteriorates the body over time when traveling nine months to get there and nine months to get back to Earth.

From earth to mars: traveling nine months to and from in The Mars Transit Vehicle, and also spending three months on its surface. What are the two biggest body deteriorating concerns when traveling through space and paying Mars a visit:

The energy of radiation

The force of gravity

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When our space station leaves Earth’s magnetic field, and atmosphere protection, we are immediately exposed to harsh cosmic radiation in space. Mr. Baker, the science teacher, and Dr. Thompson told us one time or another, high energy radiation can damage our DNA and cause cancer. We’ll they were right. Astronauts are exposed to 50–2,000 mSv of radiation in space. That’s the equivalent to 150–6,000 x-rays. The American College of Radiology says that 100 mSv is the limit for a lifetime level of radiation exposure. So you can only imagine the incredibly high risk of developing cancer for an astronaut on a mission to Mars.

Cosmic radiation out in space penetrates the space station, although its hull is designed to protect against it. Astronauts’ bodies are still suffering 10x more radiation than on earth. Besides cancer, radiation also damages the nervous system. Over time. the effects can definitely get noticed. Astronauts suffer altered cognitive functions, reduced motor functions and behavioral changes.

In addition, astronauts also suffer nausea, vomiting, anorexia (increased levels of TNF and interleukin-1) and fatigue. You can also develop heart disease due to heart tissue, heart muscle and coronary artery injuries.

The gravity on Mars is 1/3 the force of that on Earth due to its smaller mass. In other words, if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you’ll weigh just 38 lbs on Mars. What makes this difference so significant is the fact that after having to experience such a decrease in gravitational pull, your bones began to lose minerals. The reason why this happens is because your bones support a heavier gravitational pull on earth, which is more of a challenge. When you’re on Mars your bones no longer have to support such heavier weight.

Now after spending months in a less gravitational pull condition, your body will then have to once again experience the gravitational pull of Earth. When your body transitions, you’ll then have to work to adapt to gravitational conditions as you once were accustomed. In this process, you’ll discover that your eye and head coordination is off. You’ll notice a decrease in balance and that your spatial orientation and locomotive have declined as well. You will also have to take into account the loss of bone minerals, which can in turn cause osteoporosis.

The most valuable way to prevent bone loss is to exercise regularly. Astronauts’ routines include at least 2 hours of exercise a day. Because gravity is lighter in space, exercise equipment would have to be developed according to its gravitational circumstances.

If you plan on becoming an astronaut in the near future remember the consequences presented to you in this article. However, body deteriorating concerns aren’t the only dangers of traveling to Mars, as increasingly cold and hot temperatures, spacecraft crashes when trying to land due to a thinner atmosphere and the lack of oxygen are also challenges for astronauts.

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