Mission to Mars: NASA Investigates What Happens to the Human Body in Space

As space agencies gear up for long-term space travel, NASA is looking at exactly what happens to the human body in this harsh environment. The findings could eventually help send humans to locations like Mars in the future.

Scott Kelly will be the first American to spend nearly one year in space aboard the International Space Station. That's twice the normal amount of time usually spent in space. He won't just be conducting experiments on the ISS, though. Researchers will take a closer look at Scott Kelly himself to see what changes he's undergone after a year in space.

But what exactly happens to your body in space and what are the risks? Scientists already know several of them due to studying astronauts after they spend a few months on the ISS. However, they don't know the extent to which these impacts will occur during long-term spaceflight.

In all, the risks are grouped into five categories related to the stresses they place on the space traveler. There are gravity fields, isolation/confinement, hostile/closed environments, space radiation, and distance from Earth.

On a Mars mission, for example, the human body would experience three gravity fields. On a six-month treks between planets, you'd be weightless, and on Mars you would experience one-third of Earth's gravity. At home, you'd have to readapt to Earth. Transition from one gravity field to another can affect your spatial orientation, coordination, balance, and locomotion. In addition, your bone density drops at about 1 percent per month without gravity.  And without exercise, you will lose muscle strength, endurance, and experience cardiovascular deconditioning.

Astronauts will also have to deal with confinement for long periods of time, and space radiation, which is arguably the most dangerous aspect of traveling to Mars. Researchers hope to eventually develop shielding to help counteract this increase in radiation on a mission to Mars.

By taking a closer look at these issues, researchers are hoping to better learn how to counteract these risks on long-term space missions. This could eventually lead to a successful mission to another planet.

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