Posted on 01/11/2019 2:36:39 PM PST by BenLurkin
Full Title: "Fresh blow for Mars missions as researchers find long-duration space travel causes crippling back pain that can last for up to four YEARS"
The changes in muscle composition are still present up to four years after long-duration spaceflight, according to the new research by Katelyn Burkhart, MS, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and colleagues.
They write, 'Spaceflight-induced changes in paraspinal muscle morphology may contribute to back pain commonly reported in astronauts.'
The researchers analyzed computed tomography (CT) scans of the lumbar (lower) spine in 17 astronauts and cosmonauts who flew missions on the International Space Station.
Scans obtained before and after missions were analyzed to determine changes in the size and composition of the paraspinal muscles.
Average time in space was six months. Previous studies of astronauts have linked spaceflight to muscle atrophy, especially of the muscles that maintain posture and stability while upright on Earth in normal gravity.
Many astronauts experience low back pain during and immediately after space missions, and they appear to be at increased risk of spinal disc herniation.
The new study found that most at risk are the paraspinal muscles, which run up and down the spine and play a key role in spinal movement and posture.
Previous studies have found reduced paraspinal muscle mass after prolonged time in space, suggesting that muscle atrophy may occur without the resistance provided by gravity.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Now there’s a new twist on an old excuse. “ not tonight honey, I have a zero gravity caused backache.”
As Mariner noted, launch costs are coming down.
Reusability does that. Also flight rate.
Which makes new biz plans viable.
But one has been around a long time: the people in the link below proposed their plan to be viable when launch costs got to $100 / lb. This was back in the ‘80s.
https://www.shimz.co.jp/en/topics/dream/content04/
Labyrinthine seals as used on submarine propeller rotater units?
Another possibility is to use the vacuum of space to cause negative pressure in a small section of the vehicle.and somehow use that to hook up to a persons body to create resistance(articial gravity)...would need to be a Rube Goldberg type structure...? Calling Doc Brown.
Astronaut could do work while standing in the g unit for few hours a day...could be hell to pay is full leak occurs..just sayin’
While relatively short LEO flight eye problems can be fixed by an earthly eye doctor, there are none on Mars. Changes are worse over time. Long duration trips in years like to Mars would have them arrive effectively blind.
Hope it improves. I had a choice after looking at the MRI of mine in 2012. Doc said operate or order a ‘hover-round’. So we did a laminectomy of T-10 and 11 and L-1 down to S-1. The MRI looked like a link sausage chain. Two years later I went back with similar issues and was told IF we go back in we’ll be installing hardware and the recovery would be longer. So we deal with it. Then, last Nov I had C-2 through 7 done with rods from 3 to 7. Ring finger and pinky on my left hand have issues I didn’t have before, so........ Luckily it’s merely irritating and not debilitating. Yet. No more skiing/snowboarding dang it.
“Safe, reliable and cost effective” - hopefully nanotechnology will fill the bill. And 3-D printers in space.
The whole Muslim outreach crap put us a dacade behind.
But exactly how? I need to some research.
One of the few time I saw my dad cry was the moon landing. We went to see Apollo 11 parade in Chicago.
Find space travel interesting and since I do eye stuff for a living, this gets me curious.
Same thing happens in this chair while surfing the internet. Now I wanna go to space.
Thanks BenLurkin.
How: from memory: there is mention of a part of the eye becoming stretched due to weightlessness - you’d have to read the article I referenced and others I no longer have marked on the subject.
OT
Have you read “The Crystal Sun”? It is a fascinating bit of research on lenses. For instance: the best lenses made 3500 BC were not equaled in quality until 1900 AD. Most lenses made in antiquity are labeled jewelry by archeologists as “everyone knows” that eye glasses and telescopes were relatively modern discoveries. Get the hard back (British edition) since it has all the appendices where the history of some groups or particular lens is discussed of the thousands known to exist. Many illustrations.
But the article states the eye shortens.
Your distance prescription depends on the length of your eye. Your up close anility depends on the flexibility of the lens in your eye. It closes down enough to be relevant in everyone on the planet when they hit their every 40’s.
Have to check out “The Crystal Sun”. Cataract surgery has been done since the ancient Egyptians.
Best of luck!
Maybe working towards getting those muscles closer to 2G strength before leaving earth could allow them up there for a period to atrophy back down to 1G strength.
This seems more like something they've just come to understand and haven't worked out, not something that should stop long terms in space until the advent of giant spinning ships.
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