For man to be able to work on the Moon and Mars, new industries will have to be created on Earth.
- Remember the paintings by El Greco? They have elongated faces, elongated bodies. So - if the astronauts are not in orbit for at least two hours a day to exercise, they will very soon turn into such creatures! - this is how one of the founders of Soviet space medicine, academician Oleg Georgievich Gazenko, told me fifteen years ago.
All half a century during which people fly into space, scientists have been trying to unravel the phenomenon: why does the human body, finding itself in zero gravity, begin to quickly rebuild, as if it has fallen into a familiar environment and knows what to do? Recently, new data have been obtained. And we are talking about them with Elena Tomilovskaya, head of the department of sensorimotor physiology and prevention of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems, the main organization that studies the health of astronauts.
Elena, as a true scientist, first clarified:
- In fact, what the human body will turn into if it just stays in zero gravity for a long time, we, of course, do not know for certain. We only assume. No one will risk the life of an astronaut. Two hours of physical exercise a day is compulsory for crews. We can predict using model experiments.
“But the body actually rebuilds quickly in zero gravity. Moreover, radically
- Yes, but everything is not so easy. The body is under extreme stress. He especially "knocks out" the central nervous system, which does not understand how to interpret signals from the vestibular apparatus. The brain is completely unaccustomed to chaos. And here it is not clear where is the floor, where is the ceiling, how to distribute the blood! Therefore, he generally "ignores" the information coming from the vestibular apparatus, ceases to be guided by it. And more focused on vision, hearing, tactile sensitivity. Such an acute condition lasts for several days, up to a week. And then the process of chronic adaptation begins. Our task is to prevent such adaptation, because we understand that the astronaut has to return home.
And if there was no need to return?
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- Then the body would really start to change seriously. In zero gravity, for example, a powerful muscular apparatus is not required, which was formed in the fight against gravity. Calcium in bones is not needed so much, neither is a strong heart.
Is weightlessness a native element?
What would happen to the body of an astronaut if he hadn’t been practicing every day on simulators for six months, a year - on the same treadmill, for example?
- Nothing tragic. We know that a person can live in zero gravity quite calmly and for quite a long time.
That is, those people who someday fly away from the Earth and organize a colony somewhere in space, rather quickly become not like us earthlings?
- Will be clearly different, yes. This is evolution, adaptation to living conditions.
Recent research concerns the brain of astronauts. He changes shape, loses weight. Are people getting stupider?
- The main changes occur due to the redistribution of fluid towards the head. Due to the fact that the fluid rushes strongly to the head, the brain shifts somewhat inside the cranium. And yes, the volume of the space of the cerebrospinal fluid changes.
These are small changes - within 3-4 percent. In orbit, research on the cognitive functions of astronauts is constantly being conducted. They don't change.
“That is, they don’t get any stupider in orbit. And thanks for that. How critical is the vision problem? I know that the Americans noticed that their astronauts have decreased vision?
- Someone finds these changes, while others do not. There are several versions of the causes of these problems. Some believe that problems began to arise when the cosmonauts got carried away with strength exercises, that is, they began to "swing" at the station. Weightlifting leads to an increase in intracranial and intraocular pressure.
So there is equipment for bodybuilders at the station?
- Not really. Modern sports simulators appeared on board, and the cosmonauts actively took up them. Although, for our reasons, the main thing is not to pump muscles, but to develop coordination, to go jogging. How critical is what is happening? This does not give significant health consequences. While the duration of the flights is not long, all indicators return to square one a short time after the completion of the flight.
Walking the Red Planet
That is, we can ensure the efficiency of the crew when it arrives on Mars? After all, to fly for 8-9 months?
- Yes.
But now, after six months of work in low-earth orbit, they do not always return in the best shape …
- Not so long ago, together with NASA, we started a new experiment. We investigate the cosmonaut's performance at the landing site. In the first hour after the landing of the descent vehicle, we conduct simple tests. Will a person be able to get up from a sitting position, lying down, step over an obstacle. Go through. There are tasks and more difficult - to resist after a push to the chest. There are tasks that help to understand how quickly a person can perform a set of operator tasks. So far, the results are as follows: our cosmonauts are returning in fairly good condition. Their motion sickness is not very pronounced. Although everyone has it.
That is, in principle, from the point of view of physiologists, astronauts can already work on the surface of Mars?
- Yes. But it all depends on how much time will pass after landing - more precisely, landing on Mars. In an hour, the cosmonaut can only walk, stick a probe into the soil. And after two he can be instructed to perform more complex tasks.
Such a quick adaptation on an unknown planet?
- Sure. And full adaptation will take place in a few days.
The Americans carry out this experiment with the landed astronauts 12 hours later and 24 hours after landing. They see that basic functions are restored within a few hours.
Vanka-Vstanka suit
And what about the work on the moon?
- There could be more problems on the moon. You saw that on the moon astronauts had difficulty walking. And they weren't very good at doing something. The videos show that they struggled to maintain their balance. Couldn't get up when they fell.
But there is no such force of gravity as on Earth or on Mars. So it should be easier
- On the contrary, it takes a lot of effort to adapt to it. We are now thinking that for the astronauts who will work on the Moon, it is necessary to make special stands for training on Earth. It is not easy - you need to fully reproduce the lunar conditions.
“The Energia Rocket and Space Corporation has made such a stand
- Not really. You need to hang the suit at many points in order to achieve a full-fledged imitation. Ideally, astronauts should be trained to work in conditions of 1/6 weight, and even in spacesuits.
That is, before the creation of a base on the Moon, there must be a new serious medical program for training astronauts …
- And we are working on this right now. And we still need to come up with devices that could help astronauts work better on the lunar surface. The spacesuits in which the Americans worked are not very suitable for long expeditions. We need devices that would increase traction with the surface, some kind of weighting, maybe similar to a diver's suit. All in all, it will take a new industry to equip man to work on the moon.
BTW
The main danger is cosmic radiation
Some scientists believe that on the way to Mars, crews are threatened with dementia and even loss of memory. They explain this by the fact that during the flight the astronauts will be exposed to cosmic rays of galactic and solar origin. On the International Space Station, humans are protected by the Earth's magnetic field. But if you fly away …
Cosmic rays will easily pass through the body of the Mars spacecraft and "pierce" the body of astronauts, causing damage at the molecular level. There is a version that the processes of cell regeneration may be disrupted, the healing of damaged tissues will slow down. It is believed that the radiation will affect the cognitive abilities of the crew.
Scientists from the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California conducted experiments by irradiating mice with a stream of particles similar to space. Alas, already after 12 weeks, the mice showed a decrease in mental abilities. Therefore, it is impossible to use modules similar to those that make up the International Space Station to create a Martian spacecraft. We'll have to develop special protection against cosmic radiation. It can be quite difficult and difficult. Even for the modules that will form the basis of the lunar station - a project that NASA and Roscosmos are now discussing - it is necessary to provide for more reliable protection against radiation.
ALEXANDER MILKUS