If there’s a way, scientists will find it
You love science fiction. Your e-reader is full of fictional adventurers exploring deep space. It’s funny how you stop doubting the endless food supply and the gravity on a ship in zero gravity. What bothers you the most is more basic. “How would they survive the journey?” If the astronauts were hibernating, who or what would be watching their vital signs? Would the astronauts be functional after a long sleep?
Deep space is vast. Humans can’t comprehend the distances between stars and other planets. The spacecraft would have to be huge and have a farming system and a way to make synthetic meat. The solution is human hibernation. Scientists have been working on this problem for years.
Scientists do not understand how hibernation works in the natural world. How does it lower metabolism? How are organs protected in the hibernating body? What are the psychological effects?
How would a prolonged torpor affect an astronaut’s brain?
Deep space travel is a science fiction trope. Fiction makes it look easy, but it is not easy at all. Major hurdles have to be overcome. Therapeutic hypothermia is a medical procedure. It reduces the patient’s body temperature by a few degrees, leading to a torpid state. Scientists are still researching whether this would be workable for humans.
Companies are working on this problem. One company presented a paper to NASA. The company explained how astronauts could use therapeutic hypothermia for deep-space travel. I have mixed feelings about this.
On one hand, being the science fiction lover that I am, being able to explore deep space would be awesome. There’s no life in outer space. There’s no reason to colonize another planet unless there’s a way to create gravity. It wouldn’t be healthy to live in zero-g for a prolonged period.
The human body needs resistance and movement. Would an astronaut be able to move after waking from torpor? What about memory loss? Would the astronaut remember his name and his mission once he woke up?
In reality, someone or something would have to tend to the comatose astronauts. What would happen if there were a systems failure? What if redundancies didn’t work? Hardware and software crash all the time. Who will reboot the system and save the sleeping crew?
There are so many things to work out. There are many government agencies and private companies working on this problem. Exploring deep space for many people is a goal, not a fantasy.
Artemis II just launched, and Elon Musk aims to colonize Mars. This makes us wonder how close we are to deep space. There’s no doubt that scientists will meet the technological challenges. The biological challenges may prove to be more daunting.
Final Thought:
Humans need to explore and learn new things. Exploring outer space is exciting. But colonizing a place humans aren’t meant to live in is a whole different challenge.
Lawson Wallace is a writer and blogger. He focuses on resumes, cover letters, blog posts, and emails. Contact him at lawsonwallacewrites@outlook.com
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