The human body is a complex machine that\u2019s been fine-tuned\u2014through millions of years of evolution\u2014to operate here on Earth. So what happens to that machine when you put it inside a box and fling it far beyond the safety of our planet\u2019s atmosphere?<\/p>\n
This, in vastly oversimplified terms, is the question that biomedical researchers at NASA have been asking for decades. These scientists study the health impacts of spaceflight to develop methods that protect astronauts\u2019 bodies and minds, using ground research facilities, analog environments, and the International Space Station<\/a> to conduct cutting-edge studies.<\/p>\n Now that NASA is finally sending humans back to the Moon, these scientists are preparing for the research opportunity of a lifetime.<\/p>\n The Artemis 2 mission will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen farther from Earth than any human has gone before<\/a>. During their 10-day flight around the Moon, they will encounter high levels of space radiation and reach a maximum distance of 250,000 miles from Earth. The mission is currently on track to launch as early as the first week of February<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI often talk about the most complicated system on this vehicle is going to be the human,\u201d Steven Platts, chief scientist of the Human Research Program at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center, told Gizmodo. \u201cWe need to understand exactly what\u2019s going to happen in order to prevent anything bad from happening and keep them safe and healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n The hazards of deep spaceflight <\/p>\n If Platts and his colleagues have learned anything from their decades of research, it\u2019s that spaceflight puts a lot of strain on the human body. He explained that there are five primary health hazards associated with spaceflight: radiation, isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, gravity (or lack thereof), and hostile, confined environments.<\/p>\n These hazards manifest differently depending on the mission profile, Platts said. The Artemis 2 crew will spend a far shorter period of time in microgravity than astronauts on standard ISS missions, for example. Still, 10 days is long enough to trigger certain physiological changes, such as fluid shifts and vestibular disruption.<\/p>\n When it comes to radiation, the Artemis 2 astronauts will get a much higher daily dose than those aboard the ISS. They will travel through the Van Allen belts\u2014two donut-shaped zones of particle radiation trapped inside Earth\u2019s magnetic field\u2014and then enter the galactic cosmic radiation environment beyond the magnetic field.<\/p>\n The Orion spacecraft\u2014which will carry the Artemis 2 astronauts on this journey\u2014is designed to shield its crew from most of this radiation, but measuring how much breaks through and how human cells and DNA respond to it<\/a> is crucial.<\/p>\n Galactic cosmic radiation can be particularly damaging. When looking at individual cells that have been exposed to these high-energy particles, \u201cyou can literally see the tracks that the radiation makes through the cell and the damage that it creates,\u201d Platts said.<\/p>\n Orion is equipped with thousands of sensors that will measure radiation levels inside the spacecraft. Each crew member will also carry a sensor called a Crew Active Dosimeter in their pockets to closely monitor their exposure levels.<\/p>\n Understanding how the human body responds to the unique hazards of the deep space environment will be essential to future lunar landings and Mars missions. Artemis 2 will investigate this in several different ways.<\/p>\n Turning astronauts into living science experiments <\/p>\n During this mission, crew members will act as both researchers and test subjects, gathering data that will help NASA build interventions, protocols, and preventative measures to protect astronaut health. One study, called ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness), will investigate how the deep space environment affects sleep, stress, cognition, and teamwork, all of which are key to astronaut health and performance.<\/p>\n Participating crew members will wear wristbands that continuously monitor their movement and sleep patterns throughout the mission. This data will support real-time health monitoring and safety assessments, while pre- and post-flight evaluations will provide insight into any cognitive, behavioral, and sleep quality changes.<\/p>\n The Artemis 2 astronauts will also provide wet saliva samples before and after the mission, as well as dry saliva samples during the mission. While in flight, they will blot their saliva onto a special type of paper in pocket-sized booklets, eliminating the need for a wet-sample refrigeration system on board the Orion spacecraft.<\/p>\n Saliva is an excellent indicator of human health, as it contains<\/a> a rich mixture of biomarkers that signal immune system function<\/a>. \u201cWe can see hormones, we can see viruses, we can see other chemicals in the blood\u2026 And with this technique, we can see changes in cortisol,\u201d Platts said. Measuring how this stress hormone fluctuates over the course of the mission will be critical, as stress is linked to many of the adverse health outcomes of spaceflight, he explained.<\/p>\n These aren\u2019t the only biological samples NASA will collect from the Artemis 2 crew, however. They will be the first astronauts in deep space to participate in the Spaceflight Standard Measures study, which has been collecting blood, urine, and saliva samples from astronauts aboard the ISS and elsewhere since 2018. These samples help researchers evaluate astronauts\u2019 nutritional status, cardiovascular health, and immunological function.<\/p>\n