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