Reducing the metabolic rate of a crew on the way to Mars to 25% of its normal state would allow it to decrease the size of the spacecraft and its payload.
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Astronaut hibernation may be the best way to save costs for a mission to mars, reduce the size of the spacecraft and keep the crew healthy during the long journey to the planet, argue scientists.
In a study led by European Space Agency (ESA), which released its findings in a statement, a team of researchers suggests that human hibernation (induced by medication with sedative action to reduce metabolism) could prove to be a “revolutionary technique for space travel”.
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According to ESA, reducing the metabolic rate of a crew on the way to Mars to 25% of its normal state would allow the spacecraft to be reduced in size and its payload (food, water, oxygen), making the round trip two years “more viable”.
Some animals, such as bats, hibernate through the winter, lowering their body temperature and general metabolism to the threshold of survival using food reserves. Hibernation is defined by a state of numbness or lethargy (similar to deep sleep).
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Scientists propose building capsules for astronauts with settings adjusted to “smooth hibernation”: quiet environment with low light, low temperature – less than 10°C – and high humidity.
Astronauts would move very little and wear clothing that would prevent overheating. Sensors would measure your temperature, posture and heart rate. Before falling asleep, the crew must gain extra body fat.
Each capsule must be surrounded by containers of water that will act as a shield against cosmic radiation.
“Hibernation will really help protect people from the harmful effects of radiation during deep space travel. Away from Earth’s magnetic field, damage from high-energy particles can result in cell death or cancer,” he said, quoted in the statement from the ESA, one of the study’s authors, Alexander Choukér, from Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany.
According to Alexander Choukér, researcher, professor and anesthesiologist, hibernation also prevents muscle and bone atrophy and tissue damage.
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According to study coordinator Jennifer Ngo-Anh, who works at ESA’s Directorate of Human Exploration and Robotics Programs, hibernation “would minimize the levels of boredom, loneliness and aggression associated with being confined to a spacecraft”.
With the crew resting for long periods, AI-assisted systems would spring into action during anomalies and emergencies.
“In addition to monitoring energy consumption and autonomous operations, the onboard computers will maintain the craft’s optimal performance until the crew can be woken up,” said Alexander Choukér.
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