The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration by Linda Dawson

Author:Linda Dawson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

Final Thoughts on the Dangers of Outer Space

In the early manned space programs of the United States and the USSR, very little was known about the detrimental effects of the space environment on both spacecraft and human crews. In particular, one of the greatest unknowns was whether or not a human could survive extreme accelerations and the re-entry conditions. Once it was determined that humans could survive spaceflight and explore and work in space, attention focused on long-term issues. Going to Mars can take 3 months one-way. Additionally, Mars gravity is only 38 % of Earth’s surface gravity. A trip to Mars will involve extended periods of time exposed to almost zero gravity conditions. One question that we might ask is whether someone born in a microgravity environment could live in a gravity environment? Specifically, what happens if an astronaut conceives and gives birth on a Mars mission? Would that baby have to remain in the microgravity environment or risk debilitation or worse by returning to Earth? These questions are important to address prior to future human colonization or any long-term exploration missions.

In addition to environmental issues, we have seen that orbital debris and asteroid fragments in outer space can destroy spacecraft while at the same time create more debris. Future challenges include addressing the removal of orbital debris and making spacecraft safe from collisions.

Human space exploration requires a commitment to address and solve the important issues that put human beings at risk on long-term missions. The hazards of manned space flight provide new challenges that will be met with future scientific and technological achievements. Also, a commitment to a peaceful and sustainable space environment can only be achieved with the cooperation of international and commercial partnerships.

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