Human health won’t be affected by long-term space missions such as a visit to Mars, according to Nasa.
Using data collected from both men before, during and after the 340-day mission, US scientists carried out 10 separate investigations. Some of these effects persisted after his time in space but many subsided in the following six months.‘Given that the majority of the biological and human health variables remained stable, or returned to baseline, after a 340-day space mission, these data suggest that human health can be mostly sustained over this duration of spaceflight,’ the authors wrote.
Blood samples, physiological data and cognitive measurements were taken from the brothers at regular intervals over 25 months. While Scott was in space, his samples were sent back to Earth with shipments that had delivered supplies by rocket to the ISS. Changes to the shape of Scott’s eyeball, including a thicker retinal nerve, were among those detected, as well as a decline in some of his cognitive abilities.