Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Research on astronaut health and model organisms have revealed six features of spaceflight biology that guide our current understanding of fundamental molecular changes that occur during space travel. The features include oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysregulation, epigenetic changes (including gene regulation), telomere length alterations, and microbiome shifts. Here we review the known hazards of human spaceflight, how spaceflight affects living systems through these six fundamental features, and the associated health risks of space exploration. We also discuss the essential issues related to the health and safety of astronauts involved in future missions, especially planned long-duration and Martian missions.

authors

publication date

  • November 25, 2020

Research

keywords

  • Extraterrestrial Environment
  • Space Flight

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC8441988

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85096947401

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.050

PubMed ID

  • 33242416

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 183

issue

  • 5