The interest in Mars has been growing as 2030 gets even closer. For some, a Mars trip might be much earlier than that. Mars trip research shows how stressful it can be.
Research on how space travel and life affects the body has been done through the NASA Twins Study. Its aim is to see how much space life can affect the body. This is crucial for any manned space mission, especially for a trip to Mars.
The study has been focused on Scott Kelly, who has been on the International Space Station for one year while his twin, Mark remained on Earth. One of the researchers, Mike Snyder is an Integrated Omics investigator. He has found that Scott has an altered number of panel lipids. Mark, meanwhile, has more 3-IPA, which is primarily produced by bacteria in the gut and could be used a brain antioxidant.
Another focus has been made on telomeres and telomerase. This investigation has been done by Susan Bailey. The study has found Scott's telomeres to actually have lengthened in his time in space. This might also be due to his exercise and strict diet though. His return to Earth has shortened his telomeres. Telomeres naturally shorten in time as a person ages.
Another area that has been studied is cognitive performance, according to NASA. Matthias Basner has found a slight decrease in Scott's speed and accuracy after the mission. However, the decrease has not been significant enough to show an overall drop in cognitive performance.
It has also been known that bone formation for those who have been in space can be affected, as Science Daily reports. Scott Smith has seen a decrease in bone formation on Scott Kelly in the second half of the ISS mission. Other areas that have been studied include looking into the digestive system, the immune system and other areas.
The series of studies overall have shown the impact space flight has on the human body. This can be crucial in the coming planned manned missions to Mars. Mars trip research shows how stressful it can be. Scientists have also discovered the fat-burning hormone in the brain.
