In the upcoming years, NASA, China, and SpaceX are preparing for the inaugural crewed missions to Mars. However, this endeavor presents a multitude of challenges, the primary one being the vast distance involved. Even at their closest proximity in their respective orbits, the gap between Earth and Mars can be as much as 55 million km (34 million mi). Utilizing conventional chemical rockets, a one-way journey to Mars can span from six to nine months, resulting in a total mission duration of around three years including surface operations.
Spending an extensive duration in microgravity, coupled with exposure to solar and cosmic radiation, poses significant risks for astronauts. To address this, NASA is investigating advanced propulsion methods to reduce travel times and is also exploring hibernation technologies that could allow crew members to slumber for most of their journey. As part of this initiative, NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has chosen an experiment known as the “Studying Torpor in Animals for Space-health in Humans” (STASH) for development. This proposal was put forth by Ryan Sprenger and his team at Fauna Bio Inc. in California.
The concept draws from biotechnology advancements that examine unique mammalian traits and utilize them to create innovative therapeutic agents. One such trait under examination is hibernation, which offers benefits not only for space exploration but also for potential human health applications on Earth. The research aims to mitigate the associated physical and mental health risks for extended space missions, especially after findings from research conducted on the International Space Station (ISS), such as NASA’s Twin Study, illustrated the significant impact of prolonged periods in microgravity on human health.
Furthermore, the need for resupply during a Mars mission, which would take a minimum of six to nine months, presents further complexities. By inducing crew hibernation, NASA and other space agencies aim to ensure that the crew arrives at Mars in optimal health and is better equipped to handle the challenges of the mission. The proposed STASH experiment will involve two chambers housing test rodents, set at temperatures as low as 4° C (39° F) to induce torpor. This experiment will investigate hibernation science in microgravity, as well as assess bioactive molecules and methods of inducing synthetic torpor.
Ultimately, the aim is to develop hibernation systems for deep space missions. The STASH experiment has been awarded Phase I development funding through the NIAC program, providing the team with the opportunity to pave the way for further research. With the collaboration of the BioServe Space Technologies College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, the future of deep space exploration appears promising. NASA.
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