Astronauts’ weight-bearing bones lose around 1 to 1.5 percent of their mineral density every month in microgravity — and with a journey to Mars potentially lasting nine months, their bodies could already be substantially deconditioned before they take a single step on another planet.
Image: SpaceDaily
Machine-written summary, checked against the sources below
Astronauts lose roughly 1 to 1.5 percent of bone mineral density in weight-bearing bones each month in microgravity, according to the described range. A Mars transit lasting around nine months could leave crews substantially deconditioned before reaching the surface, with individual outcomes depending on duration, exercise, nutrition and whether the loss continues linearly beyond six months.
NASA's monthly bone-loss range shows the scale of the Mars-transit risk, but individual outcomes depend on duration, exercise, nutrition and whether loss continues linearly beyond six months. The post Astronauts’ weight-bearing bones lose around 1 to 1.5 percent of their mineral density every month in microgravity — and with a journey to Mars potentially lasting nine months, their bodies could already be substantially deconditioned before they take a single step on another planet. appeared first on Space Daily .
Summary by SpaceDaily