Although the dream of stepping on the red planet still seems distant, NASA plans to reach Mars in 2035. Until then, there are still many details of the mission to be developed and many unknowns to be solved. One of them, perhaps the most important, isknow the health effects of a trip of these characteristicsof the astronauts.
Once outside the protection offered by the Earth’s magnetic field, the astronauts’ body is attacked by acosmic radiation bombardmentwhich can promote cancer, damage muscles and bones, and cause cardiovascular disease. With proper protection, astronauts can escape radiation associated with solar flares and other hazards, but there are other forms of cosmic radiation against which there is no defense. A mission to Mars, which could last around 3 years, means subjecting the body to a very long exposure to such harmful radiation.
The new study, which is published in the journalPLOS ONE, has analyzed the effect of HZE particles, which are propelled at high speeds from exploding stars. Specifically, the scientists chose iron particles, since, unlike hydrogen, which comes from solar flares, they can pass through solid objects such as the walls and protective shields in a space vehicle.
The researchers, from the University of Rochester (USA), analyzed the cognitive and biological impact of HZE particles on laboratory mice that were exposed to doses comparable to those that astronauts would receive on a mission to Mars. The results revealed that the irradiated animals experienced adecrease in your ability to perform simple tasks, as well as an abnormal accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain, an indicator protein for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. “The results clearly suggest that radiation exposure in space has the potential to accelerate the development of the disease,” said O’Banion, one of the authors of the research. “This is a factor that NASA will have to take into account when planning future missions.”
