Astronaut Nasa Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams returned to earth after spending nine unplanned months in space.
The couple carried out the First Starliner Boeing capsule flight to the first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024.
Wilmore and Williams should spend about a week in space. However, the problem with Starliner extended their mission for several months and postponed their return until early 2025.
Experts say that spending a long period in space – especially for months – can come with many changes in human physiology and psychology.
Changes due to a traveled force
One of the biggest changes comes from spending time in micro -weight style, which allows astronauts to float on spacecraft or outside during spacecraft.
During this period, there was A decreased muscle mass – Due to a decrease in use and lack of stimulus through sports equipment and bone loss, according to NASA.
Astronaut Nasa Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore stood together for a prolonged photo with the launch foundation at Space Launch Complex 41, 5 June 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Chris O’meara/AP, File
Without the gravity of the earth, bones that support weight can lose 1% to 1.5% of the average mineral density per month in space, said the federal health agency.
In addition, without eating the right diet and exercising the right exercise, the astronauts lose muscle mass Faster within a distance than on earth.
NASA also said that in micro -weight force, blood and cerebrospinal fluid often shifted upward from the lower limb to the head and eye, which is believed to cause structural changes in the eye and brain.
The crew is at risk of developing kidney stones due to dehydration or removing calcium from their bones without preventive or prevention.
After returning to earth, astronauts often examined by the medical team When they work to read the gravity of the earth and balance their balance for daily tasks such as walking and standing tall.
Space radiation
Space radiation is different from radiation experienced on earth. It consists of three types of radiation: particles trapped in the earth’s magnetic field, particles from solar flares and cosmic rays galaxy Said Nasa.
The earth is surrounded by a magnetic field system, which is called Magnetospherewhich protects people from dangerous space radiation. However, higher a person is at a heightThe higher the dose of radiation exposed.
Because of a prolonged exposure, astronauts can be significant risk for radiation disease and have a higher lifetime risk for cancer, the effects of the central nervous system and degenerative diseases, according to NASA.
The crew above ISS receives an average of 80 MSV to 160 MSV for six months, according to A 2017 NASA Report. Millisiverts (MSV) is a measurement unit for how much radiation has been absorbed by the body.
Although the type of radiation is different, 1 MSV of space radiation is approximately the same as receiving three chest x-rays, said the federal space.
In comparison, someone on earth receives an average of 2 MSV every year from a fair background radiation, NASA said.
“In the low earth orbit where ISS is, astronauts are at least partially protected by magnetosphere which protect the earth from exposure to deep space radiation,” Dr. Rihana Bokhari, Acting Head of Scientific Officials at the Baylor College’s Translational Research Institute for Space Health, previously told ABC News.
“However, they do have a greater radiation exposure than those on earth because ISS passes through the radiation area trapped in their orbit,” he continued. “Butch and Suni, because they are in ISS, will not be exposed to sufficient radiation to seriously cause a large impact on the body’s system but a long exposure to a larger radiation than on earth can cause an increased risk of cancer.”
Isolation in space
There are also physical and psychological effects derived from creatures remote and in a closed environment for a long period of time.
NASA said that the crew chosen for the ISS mission selected and trained carefully To ensure they can handle missions that can last for six months or more.
Astronaut flight Boeing Nasa butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in the front room between the front port in the Harmony Module of International Space Station and Starliner Space Aircraft.
NASA
However, research has shown that this type of environment, regardless of whether a person is in space, can cause changes in behavior and cause fatigue, stress, and loss of sleep.
NASA said the researchers were investigating ways to help counteract the negative effects of isolation including using virtual reality to “stimulate a relaxed environment” or involved in activities such as learning language or tend to be a Space park.
Jennifer Fogarty, head of scientific officers at the Baylor College of Medicine Translancement Institute for Space Health, previously told ABC News that there were also changes in the immune system during this time, often the result of chronic stress, which is why it is important to create a healthy environment for astronauts who carry out missions.