What is the effect of a short trip into space on the human body?

A short trip into space can cause some of the same changes as long-term space missions, a new study shows.

Short-term space travel causes similar changes in the bodies of astronauts who spend months in orbit, according to new research.

However, most of the changes in these travelers reverse within a few months of returning to Earth.

“This is the first time we've looked at the crew cell by cell when they go into space and looked at the T cells and B cells and all the different components of the immune system,” said Chris Mason, a professor of physiology and biophysics at Weill Medical College at Cornell University in the US. “We do this for hospital patients and research patients.”

“But this is the first time we have a high-resolution cellular view of what is happening to an object in space.”

The research focused on four space tourists who were part of the three-day Inspriation4 SpaceX flight in 2021, from whom biological samples were collected.

The researchers compared this data with information from previous flights, such as NASA's study of twins.

“We found, for example, that telomeres elongate slightly in space, which are kind of caps at the end of your chromosomes that keep your DNA intact,” Mason said.

“We found that this is very similar to what we see on longer missions, but not as dramatic,” he said.

“We find that when the body stresses the immune system, it activates T cells in the body. We also see general stress on the body from flying. But within a few months, 95% of them disappear. “It will return to its basic levels,” he added.

A compendium of health-related studies in space

The research was part of a series of studies published in the journal Nature on the health effects of space travel.

Other studies published Tuesday in the group looked at the impact of spaceflight on the skin, kidneys and immune system.

For example, a study conducted by researchers at University College London found that the structure and function of the kidneys changes due to spaceflight.

The study used data from space missions that included humans and mice, as well as space simulations that included mice and rats.

Seven simulations involved mice exposed to radiation at levels equivalent to 1.5- and 2.5-year Mars missions.

Dr. Keith Siu, the study's first author, said that although they knew there was an increase in health problems such as kidney stones during spaceflight, they did not know what might happen during long-distance missions like Mars.

“If we don't develop new ways to protect the kidneys, I would say that even if an astronaut could go to Mars, he might need dialysis on the way back,” Siu said.

“We know that kidneys show signs of radiation damage late; By the time this becomes clear, it may be too late to avoid failure, which could be disastrous for the mission's chances of success.