Cancer risk for US astronauts Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams? What we know so far

As US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams prepare to return home after nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), some of the health risks they've faced are well-documented and managed, while others remain a mystery, as per a report.

Bone and muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, vision impairment -- these are just a few of the challenges space travelers face on long-duration missions, even before considering the psychological toll of isolation, AFP reported.

These dangers will only grow as humanity pushes deeper into the solar system, including to Mars, demanding innovative solutions to safeguard the future of space exploration.


45 Days Will be Crucial

Astronauts must attend NASA's 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program. Another challenge is "fluid shift" -- the redistribution of bodily fluids toward the head in microgravity. This can increase calcium levels in urine, raising the risk of kidney stones, as per AFP report.

Fluid shifts might also contribute to increased intracranial pressure, altering the shape of the eyeball and causing spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), causing mild-to-moderate vision impairment. Another theory suggests raised carbon dioxide levels are the cause.

Lifetime Cancer Risk?

Radiation levels aboard the ISS are higher than on the ground, as it passes through the Van Allen radiation belt, but Earth's magnetic field still provides significant protection.

The shielding is crucial, as NASA aims to limit astronauts' increased lifetime cancer risk to within three percent.

However, missions to the Moon and Mars will give astronauts far greater exposure, explained astrophysicist Siegfried Eggl.

Future space probes could provide some warning time for high-radiation events, such coronal mass ejections -- plasma clouds from the Sun -- but cosmic radiation remains unpredictable.

FAQs

Q1. What is full form of SANS?
A1. Full form of SANS is spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome.

Q2. Are Radiation levels higher aboard International Space Station?
A2. Radiation levels aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are higher than on the ground.