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Metabolic Suppression: A Promising Solution to Unlock the Future of Space Travel Space tourism is no longer a distant dream but a present-day reality, with current excursions consisting of suborbital jaunts, and near future excursions to including lunar expeditions and, eventually, trips to Mars. Beneath the allure of weightlessness and cosmic views, however, lies a set of serious health risks for space travelers, including muscle and bone issues, heart problems, and cognitive impairment. In this mini review, we delve into the topic of metabolic suppression, an innovative approach to mitigating the deleterious effects of space travel that has been proposed for astronauts that may be appropriate for space tourists as well. Drawing inspiration from the survival strategies observed in hibernating animals and often depicted in sci-fi narratives where crews are in “suspended animation” throughout most of the voyage, this method involves inducing a reversible state of dormancy, akin to torpor, in human space travelers. The objective of metabolic suppression is to safeguard space travelers from the adverse impacts of extended exposure to microgravity and space radiation on long duration expeditions, so that on arrival at their destination, they can be healthy and ready to go. We shed light on ongoing research endeavors led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and other prominent organizations dedicated to investing in and advancing metabolic suppression technologies for professional space travel, that may also enable space tourism to ever more distant destinations
Document ID
20230018387
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Accepted Manuscript (Version with final changes)
Authors
Yuri Griko
(Ames Research Center Mountain View, United States)
David Loftus
(Ames Research Center Mountain View, United States)
Viktor Stolc
(Ames Research Center Mountain View, United States)
Date Acquired
December 18, 2023
Publication Date
January 18, 2024
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Tourism and Hospitality
Publisher: MDPI
Volume: 12
Issue: 6
Issue Publication Date: January 18, 2024
ISSN: 2167-0269
Subject Category
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration
Aerospace Medicine
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 919125.01.04.02.01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
Single Expert
Keywords
Space Tourism
Extreme Adventure Tourism
Metabolic Suppression
Torpor
Space Medicine
Future Space Exploration
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