They had travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) on board Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner.
- Starliner experienced helium leaks and a malfunctioning thruster, which helps steer and control reentry making it unsafe for astronauts.
- Soviet cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest single stay in space, spending 438 days aboard the Mir space station.
Opportunities from Extended Stay
- Medical Research: Offers a rare chance to study unplanned long-term space exposure and its effects on the human body.
- Technology Testing: Helps assess how life-support systems, spacecraft, and onboard equipment perform beyond their intended mission durations.
- Deep-Space Mission Preparation: Provides valuable data for planning future Mars and lunar missions, where astronauts will spend extended periods in space.
Health Challenges in Space:
- Space Radiation: Exposure to cosmic rays and solar radiation increases the risk of cancer and other radiation-induced illnesses.
- Gravity Fields: Microgravity leads to muscle atrophy and bone density loss, while re-exposure to Earth's gravity can affect balance and coordination.
- NASA observes weight-bearing bone loss of 1% to 1.5% per month in microgravity.
- Isolation and Confinement: The psychological effects of being in confined spaces away from Earth can impact mental well-being and team dynamics.
About the International Space Station (ISS)
|
