Protecting Weak Bones

Shielding astronauts from mounting weak bones, weak resistant systems and cosmic cancer is no trouble-free task for scientists studying the effects of living in space.

U.S and Australian scientists are looking for the impact on astronauts due to exposure to the deficient in gravity, pressure and celestial radiation.

Dr Harry Charles of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), Houston said "We want to avoid weakened bones that would put astronauts at risk for fractures upon return to Earth or when landing on another planet. Knowing these measurements while in space, will allow astronauts to either increase exercise or take medications to counter the loss of bone and muscle mass due to long-duration microgravity exposures."

The NSBRI is at this time designing a compacted machine to permit precision bone and tissue measurements in space.

Due to short of weight-bearing exercise on space as on Earth it can add more chances to the developing of osteoporosis, bone loss is a trouble for astronauts spending months or years in a weight-less environment.

Researchers are also worried that the stress of spending time in space might force to weaken the immune system's ability to defend itself against disease and make active the dormant viruses present in the body. Latent viruses have been associated to the development of cancer.

"We are gathering data on viral levels in normal populations and in groups undergoing more stressful, space-like conditions," said Dr Janet Butel of NSBRI's immunology team. "These studies include persons in isolation chambers and participants in Antarctic winter-over expeditions."

The viruses of concern comprises of those responsible for chicken pox, shingles, cold sores and mononucleosis.

Dr Louise Lutze-Mann of the University of New South Wales an Australian scientist has been functioning with NASA to study if any other hazards are there that threatens to increase the possibility of cancer in astronauts - cosmic radiation.

On Earth we are sheltered from cosmic radiation by the atmosphere, but in the space environment, the radiation effortlessly enters the skin and damages cells.

According to Dr Lutze-Mann astronauts report seeing flashes in front of their eyes - signifying that radiation has wounded their retinas. The concern is that such harm may turn into long-haul astronauts - travelling for instance to Mars - incapable to function once they land there.

In ground-based experiments with transgenic mice, Dr Lutze-Mann has found that while the liver recovers rather quickly from radiation damage, the brain is less capable of killing and replacing damaged cells. Previous year she reported that the most helpless part of the body is the gastro-intestinal tract. Dr Lutze-Mann has anticipated that astronauts could experience a five-fold increase in the risk of cancer, as compared to the average person on Earth.

While the accurate radiation levels astronauts will be exposed to are so far to be established, Dr Lutze-Mann said NASA is facing a major problem so as how to protect their astronauts from the bombardment of cosmic radiation. The contradiction, she said, is that the only cover up that could protect them from such tough radiation is so heavy that it can't be send so easily into the space.

The US National Space Biomedical Research Institute is evaluating the reduction of cancer risks and neurological damage from radiation through pharmaceutical intervention.