In the 2030s, NASA and other space agencies will send astronauts to Mars for the first time in history. However, this presents numerous challenges from the logistics and technical aspects to the food and water and even the waste management of astronauts on the Red Planet.
But most importantly, their health and safety are widely discussed as they will spend months traveling through space and be exposed to cosmic radiation and microgravity. There are also concerns that they might find it difficult to adapt to the gravity on Mars after months of microgravity while traveling.
According to a press release, a team of space medicine experts from the Australian National University (ANU) developed a mathematical model to predict whether astronauts will be safe on the Red Planet and how they will perform their duties there.
Their mathematical model could help prepare for the trip before astronauts set their foot on Mars and could also be used to assess the impact of both short- and long-term space missions that take humans beyond the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Their paper, titled "Computational modeling of orthostatic intolerance for travel to Mars," published in the scientific journal npj Microgravity, reveals the potential hazards for missions bound for Mars and emphasizes that time spent in microgravity is the greatest threat that astronauts will face.
To read more, click here.