• Question: What does the data you analyse help to research exactly, when it comes to finding out about Mars?

    Asked by Imo to Beth on 4 Oct 2015.
    • Photo: Beth Healey

      Beth Healey answered on 4 Oct 2015:

      The research I’m doing is looking at the likely effects of the journey to Mars on the astronauts themselves. By knowing more about this we can explore ways to counteract the likely effects.

      For example here at Concordia our crew are completely isolated for 9 months, in total darkness for 3 months, at altitude and are an international small crew of just 13 people. We also can’t go outside without special equipment. All these things make life here similar to long duration spaceflight missions.

Comments

  • Photo: COLFlight

    COLFlight commented on :

    Most of the technology used on the ISS is something that will be needed for a trip to Mars, such like way to recover oxygen by the carbon dioxide, recover drinkable water from humidity and urine (yes! they do drink that!).
    On top of that, we do a lot of studies on the phisiology of the human body, to understand what happens to us when we leave in such a strange environment for a long period, without feeling the gravity and with a lot of radiations.
    For example, we found out that the eye bulb shrinks and gets shorter when you stay in space. This means that if you have a sharp vision, after few months you will need glasses.
    We haven’t understood yet the reason for this, research is still ongoing and maybe this will help to prevent this to happen to astronauts in the future. And, who knows, maybe this will alsoe help all the short-sighted here on Earth, like myself!