Health risks of space travel extend beyond known hazards, finds report

A new report by Dorset-based The Guy Foundation, an independent research organization in the UK, warns that human space exploration may face significant health challenges, with risks potentially increasing as missions venture beyond Earth's orbit. The report highlights health issues including accelerated aging, insulin resistance, early diabetes, and reproductive complications, suggesting that such effects may be irreversible and could ultimately question the feasibility of extended human presence in space.

The report, titled “The Health Hazards of Space Travel: Novel Insights from Quantum Biology,” was produced by an international team of scientists with expertise in physics, quantum biology, and space research. According to their findings, disruptions in cellular energy and information processing at atomic and subatomic levels in space may compromise human metabolism, leading to further health risks. The report urges that these potential effects be investigated rigorously before embarking on deep-space missions.

Professor Geoffrey Guy, Chairman of The Guy Foundation, noted that while space agencies have traditionally concentrated on engineering and survival aspects, the long-term health implications of space travel remain largely unaddressed. “Just surviving in space is not the same as living in optimal health,” Guy remarked, advocating for deeper research into the health risks associated with prolonged space travel.

Former UK Minister of State for Life Science and Space, George Freeman MP, endorsed the report’s findings as a crucial reminder of the health implications tied to space exploration. Freeman highlighted its importance for agencies such as NASA and SpaceX, emphasizing the broader opportunities for advancements in space health research.

The study points to several factors exacerbated by conditions outside low-Earth orbit, such as the absence of Earth's magnetic field and altered light spectra, which may disrupt cellular equilibrium, metabolism, circadian rhythms, and essential gut bacteria. The cumulative effects of reduced gravity, higher radiation levels, and lack of cellular regeneration stimuli in space contribute to DNA damage and hinder cellular repair.

However, the lack of comprehensive long-term health data on astronauts limits current understanding of these effects. While studies exist on astronauts returning from space, insights on the longevity and health of a more diverse sample, including older and less fit individuals, remain scarce. The report stresses the need for further experiments at cellular and sub-cellular levels to fully comprehend and potentially mitigate these risks.

The findings suggest that replicating Earth-like environmental conditions in space could be essential to safeguard human health. The Guy Foundation is calling on scientists and institutions to collaborate on this research, aiming to apply these insights to benefit both space travellers and human health on Earth. The full report and a brief overview are available at The Guy Foundation’s website.