Abstract
The concept of implementation of environmental health protection and sustainment in aerospace environments by definition implies a One Health systems approach. One Health indicates an inherently complex, contextually interrelated system with consideration of human, animal, plant, systems engineering, and environmental health, their interrelationships, and networks. One Health implies seamless integration of subsystem co-dependencies to achieve an outcome of overall health protection for the individual. One of the most challenging aspects of space travel involves prevention, mitigation and protection from radiation injuries. While avoidance altogether is the best approach, these authors will focus on minimized exposure through limiting time in the space radiation environment in the transit to Mars and back. Implementation of the pillars of time, distance and shielding comprise ALARA, “As Low as Reasonably Achievable” (www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/alara.html) and is stressed in this strategy. This general overview will briefly describe the critical components of space environmental health in anticipation of increasing duration and interaction of human, animal, and plant habitation of aerospace and extreme environments into the future. Of the many considerations that could be addressed, precision medicine, and bioinformatics are the most rapidly evolving. Complex interdependencies will emerge from macro- and micro-environmental ecosystems data analysis, not yet fully comprehended or understood in the context of space health. We will conclude this contribution with suggested new countermeasure strategies gleaned through big data analytics that may protect space crew through mitigation of radiation exposure in flight.
Highlights
This section emphasizes the importance of an integrative, holistic system of systems, i.e., a One Health,1 and systems engineering approach to environmental health in space
Using a traditional approach for transit from Earth to Mars, a mission consists of the estimated shortest cruise time of a 180-day cruise to Mars, a 500-day-stay planetary mission, and a 180day return flight to Earth, which would result in a cumulative radiation dose range between 0.66 and 1.01 Sv, based on measurements by Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) instrument
The current plans for delivering astronauts to Mars from Earth using conventional chemical propulsion will require 180 days, and a prompt return flight would be of roughly comparable duration
Summary
This section emphasizes the importance of an integrative, holistic system of systems, i.e., a One Health, and systems engineering approach to environmental health in space. One very promising approach to environmental health protection is employment of precision medicine tools that are individualized and focused on disease prevention and health promotion after radiation exposure. This approach is built upon the premise that “genes + environment = health status”. In the context of extreme environments such as aerospace, the most effective methodologies to promote environmental health are preventative, and many of these approaches are relatively new and largely unexplored Programs such as the Baylor College of Medicine’s Translational Institute for Space Health in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program are addressing new and emerging challenges and predictive analytics to promote and sustain space health, with a strong emphasis on environmental factors and emerging biomarkers relevant to space travelers. As stated, this paper will focus on the primary concern of radiation exposure and a primary preventive approach, we underscore the criticality of individualized protection and vulnerability assessment to mitigate unanticipated hazards
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
