Manned, long-term, deep
space missions are an exciting prospect, but one that remains in the realm of
distant possibilities–particularly because we don’t have all the technological
innovations needed to make it happen. One major consideration is the time it
takes to reach the destination. In order to solve this we have come up with few
solutions.
Mars, which is at the top
of various space programs’ go-to destinations for manned missions, is about six
months if travel time away from Earth. If we wanted to explore even further,
keep in mind that New Horizons, the fastest spacecraft to leave Earth, took nine
and a half years to reach Pluto.
Science fiction
conveniently sidesteps this challenge by putting the space explorers into deep
sleep–a state of suspended animation. But slowing the human metabolism down
while ensuring that a person will stay alive for extended periods is a lot
easier said than done.
Spaceworks however, led by
John A. Bradford, is proposing to use a method they refer to as “therapeutic
hypothermia.” The process involves cooling the body a little below the normal
body temperature (37 C), to slow down heart rate and blood pressure.
This process is already
being used in the medical world. By bringing the body temperature of patients
undergoing treatment for cardiac arrest or traumatic brain injuries down to 32
and 34 degrees Celsius, doctors have more time to address the issues.
The method normally allows
patients to stay in stasis for about 2-4 days, but has worked for as long as
two weeks. Spaceworks not only believes they can extend this for months, but
also that they can create the technology needed to automate the process and
apply it for deep-space missions.
Unlike the cryo-chambers
depicted in films however, where row upon row of space travelers are left in
suspended animation in individual pods, Spaceworks is conceptualizing an open
chamber that allows the crew to go into stasis in shifts.
“There would be some
robotic arms and monitoring systems taking care of [the passengers]. They’d
have small transnasal tubes for the cooling and some warming systems as well,
to bring them back from stasis,” Bradford describes an interview with Quartz.
This not only addresses
concerns of adding too much weight to a spacecraft, but also ensures that there
will be people awake to manage possible emergencies and conduct standard
monitoring.
As for the long-term health
effects of space travel, Spaceworks is trying to find ways of incorporating
exercise into stasis. The team is looking into using electrical stimulation,
which is already used to aid physical therapy. Having this technology in place
also solves a lot of logistical issues for manned space missions. With crew members
awake, you have to factor in the volume of food, water, and air needed to keep
them alive for months and years at a time.
It could also help manage
the psychological impact of long-term space travel and hopefully lower the risk
of space crews succumbing to depression, claustrophobia, or anxiety.
According to Spaceworks,
they are due to begin animal testing next year, with human testing set to
follow after in space and on the International Space Station.
Via Futurism