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Astronautics
Not all of it will be applicable to a Mars colony but
some lessons from Earth orbiting space stations can
be applied.
For instance, it is broadly agreed that the
simple idea of having windows to allow the
colonists to look outside is likely to be salutary.
The challenge with this on the surface of
Mars will be that it will be very difficult to see
Earth, which is considered one of the great
psychological benefits of current space missions.
It is also known that unrealistic work schedules
can be a major source of stress. In 1973, the crew
of Skylab 4 ‘mutinied’ after they had been made
to work during three consecutive scheduled
rest days and were then asked to work through
the fourth; they decided to take the day off. It
would therefore be prudent to build ‘slack’ in the
schedule to allow colonists enough time to rest,
for their health as well as for public order.
On the other hand, the Mars colony would be such
an unprecedented undertaking that it is difficult to
predict with certainty how its participants might
behave; while astronauts on the ISS have clearly
defined mission durations, Mars colonists would
be living permanently away from Earth. Current
astronauts are, in an emergency, only a matter of
hours away from reaching Earth’s surface; Mars
colonists would be months away, even assuming that
travel back to Earth was possible.
Today’s Space Station crews are carefully
selected and then train together for years
to help them work as a coherent team; the
proposed scale of the Mars colony would make
such team-building and detailed selection
strategies impractical. These are challenges that
will be difficult to address until human missions
to Mars begin.
Public health
The first generation of Mars colonists would need
to be carefully screened for infectious pathogens
before leaving Earth but there are still risks posed by
contagious diseases.
Spaceflight tends to cause reduced immune
response - as does stress in general - and alters
the virulence of some pathogens; consequently,
colonists may be susceptible to infection from
their own microbiomes, the microorganisms that
typically exist within the body.
Given the close quarters in which the colonists
would have to live, this could result in epidemic-
like events. Careful monitoring of colonists’ health
would therefore need to be a priority and sick
colonists who are contagious would need to be
isolated and treated promptly.
Because all Mars colonists would be living and
working in an artificial habitat, with relatively few
opportunities to go outside on EVA, the habitat itself
would need to be designed with safety and human
health in mind.
Some of the issues to consider would include:
incorporating redundant life support and
airlock systems; avoiding fall and electrical
hazards, such as loose cables and exposed wires;
ensuring that residential areas are quiet enough
to sleep in; and dedicating enough space for
storage, etc.
The need for exercise to mitigate bone loss and
muscle atrophy is critical in microgravity. While
those symptoms may be less severe in the partial
gravity Mars environment, the confined nature
of the colony’s habitat would also make physical
exercise crucial for maintaining mental health.
Journals kept by astronauts on the ISS suggest
that their time spent exercising also proved a
valuable aid to mental relaxation, and they disliked
it when their workloads kept them from scheduled
exercise periods.
Profound risks
The risks to human health from spaceflight
are significant but the risks to human health
from establishing a permanent human
settlement on another planet are even
more profound. Located in an extremely
dangerous environment, such a venture will
be unprecedented, uniquely independent and
technologically challenging.
The long-term survival of a Mars colony
will rest upon the health and wellbeing of its
inhabitants; if such an audacious venture is to
be attempted, it is absolutely essential that the
threats to human health are identified early and
prepared for aggressively.
A full list of references supporting this article is available on request.
About the authors
WilliamWest
graduated from the Space Policy Institute within the Elliott
School of International Affairs at the George Washington University,
USA, where he earned a master’s degree in International Science and
Technology Policy. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and has worked
as a contractor for the US Geological Survey and is currently a consultant
in the space policy community in Washington, DC.
Dr Kris Lehnhardt
is an Attending Physician and Assistant Professor in the
Department of Emergency Medicine at The George Washington University
(GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences. At GWU, he is the Director
of the Fellowship in Extreme Environmental Medicine (FEEM) and the
Director of the Introduction to Human Health in Space graduate course.
Dr Lehnhardt has served as the Chair of the Human Performance in Space
Department for the International Space University Space Studies Program,
where he is currently an Adjunct Professor.
It is absolutely
essential that
threats to
human health
are identified
early and
prepared for
aggressively
