Astronauts are at risk of cancer and heart disease

It took millions of years for the human body to adjust to the earth’s environment. But the space environment has many negative effects on the human body and mind. However, there is a huge lack of concrete research on these effects. Yuri Gagarin was the first person who traveled to space in April 1961. According to the European Space Agency, before being sent to space, he had to undergo rigorous training so that his body would be completely fit for this journey. The health of Sunita Williams, a passenger trapped in space for the last seven months, has also been affected. In her recent pictures, it was found that she has lost weight. People are concerned about her health. Even today, many preparations are made before and after space travel because the human body is made to live on earth. Through training, they are prepared for space travel, but even after returning to earth, many types of effects are seen on their body. Often, after returning to earth, it becomes difficult for astronauts to stand on their feet immediately. Astronauts trapped in space will now return only next year. How space travel changes the human body. It took millions of years for the human body to adjust to the earth’s environment. The space environment is very different from the earth. According to Afshin Beheshti, director of the Center for Space Biomedicine, travelers who stay in space for a long time go through many mental and physical challenges.

With time, the number of space missions and passengers going there has also increased. Therefore, researchers are trying to find out how to make space travel safer for people. For this, data related to the health of astronauts going on different missions is needed. According to Chris Mason, Professor of Biophysics in New York, it is necessary to do this so that a strategy is already prepared according to the health of all astronauts. There is a possibility of a new asteroid hitting the Earth, but extremely low radiation is the biggest threat. The Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field protect humans from radiation. But in space, passengers are in a radiation field with high energy. This can destroy their DNA, increase the possibility of cancer and heart disease. Along with this, immunity can also be affected. In missions that take place around the Earth’s orbit, astronauts are still safe. But the health of the passengers of missions that take place outside this is at greater risk. For example, astronauts involved in missions related to Mars go to areas with high radiation. In a vehicle without gravity, they go here and there. From there, the pictures of astronauts flying in the air are liked the most. But absence of gravity is also very harmful for them

Our body is able to function on earth only because of gravity. Without it, the fluids present in the body start flowing upwards and the face may swell. Not only this, it can also weaken the eyesight. Without gravity, bones and muscles can lose their strength. In such a situation, the astronauts are always in danger of some physical harm. Russian satellite broke into pieces, astronauts saved their lives by hiding. There is also a long list of mental problems. Apart from physical problems in space, loneliness and staying away from loved ones prove to be the second biggest challenge for the passengers. Due to this, astronauts can get mentally disturbed, they may have sleep problems. Their ability to think and understand may decrease and they may also have mood related problems. Due to living in a limited space with other passengers, there may be differences between them. These losses are not limited to space only. Even after returning to earth, astronauts are likely to have heart related diseases. Without gravity for a long time Hearing ability is also affected due to living in a space. When astronauts go on a small space mission and return to Earth, 95 percent of the damage caused to their body is automatically compensated.
But it is difficult for this to happen with passengers who go on long missions. Some physical problems of the passengers go away but some persist for a long time. “Spaceflight Associated Neuro Ocular Syndrome” is one such disease. In this, the vision of the passengers becomes weak due to staying in low gravity for months. Many passengers have to use lenses. Lack of research is a big obstacle. Many researches are being done on the health of astronauts, but there is still a huge lack of adequate information and data. For example, there is no information about how space travel affects people’s lungs. Beheshti says that we do not have any concrete information about how space travel can affect the fertility of humans. The research that has been done has been done on rats and not humans. A study conducted in 2024 shows that the chances of astronauts getting headaches increase manifold. This study included 24 passengers of the International Space Station. At the same time, a study conducted on 17 astronauts in 2022 In the study, all these passengers were found to have low bone density. RR/VK (Reuters).