Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were in the vestibule connecting the space station to Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. NASA researchers are studying the effects of short and long-duration space missions on human bodies. Common changes include puffier faces, bone loss, and reduced sleep. Here are nine ways space conditions can alter the human body:
Returning to Earth on Tuesday after spending nine months in space, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded on the International Space Station when their Boeing spaceship malfunctioned. They had to wait for a SpaceX spaceship to bring them home. While nine months in space is not a record, it is long enough for potential body changes to occur during their stay on the ISS.
Astronauts experience muscular and cardiovascular reconditioning upon returning to Earth, as explained by Steve Stich in a briefing after the duo’s splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the knowledge about space’s impact on the human body comes from NASA’s research on ISS astronauts, including the Twins Study involving Scott Kelly, who spent nearly a year in space, and his twin brother Mark on Earth.
Researchers have identified nine biological changes that may occur in the body after long-term space habitation:
1. Body fluids shift: Weightlessness causes bodily fluids to move upward, with enough fluid shifting from the legs to the head in a year to fill a 2-liter bottle.
2. Facial changes: Due to fluid redistribution, the face may appear puffy in space.
3. Vision alterations: Pressure changes in the brain can affect vision, potentially leading to eyesight issues due to fluid near the optic nerve.
4. Bone density shifts: Lack of exercise in space can result in a 12% bone density loss in a year, attributed to microgravity effects on bone tissues and cell behavior.
5. Temporary height increase: Without gravity compressing the spine, astronauts can temporarily grow taller in space.
6. Muscle atrophy: In a weightless environment, muscles can weaken over time.
7. Weaker immune system: Space travel can suppress the immune system, making astronauts more susceptible to infections.
8. Cardiovascular changes: Heart function can be altered due to the lack of gravity’s strain on the heart.
9. Psychological effects: Isolation and confined living spaces can impact the mental health of astronauts during long-duration missions.
The bones in your spine don’t compress in space, making you taller by 3%. Scott Kelly returned from space 2 inches taller than his twin, but gravity on Earth reverses this effect. Muscle shrinkage occurs in space due to lack of use, but exercise helps maintain muscle mass. Astronauts often experience sleep deprivation in space. Exposure to radiation in space increases the risk of cancer. DNA and gene expression can be altered in space, affecting health. In case of death in space, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the crew. Options include returning the body to Earth or allowing it to burn up in the atmosphere.
