Girish Linganna
Sixty-two years ago, Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to go to space. But since then, only about 11% of astronauts have been women. Because there are so few women astronauts, we still don’t fully understand how space travel affects the female body.
There are also more men than women working in space science. A report shows that, even with efforts to fix this, men still make up most of the workforce. A survey of over 8,000 students in 11 European countries found that 84.5% of women believe both men and women should work in space science jobs, while 75.5% of men feel the same way. As space missions get longer, studying personalized medicine is becoming more important.
Most of the existing research is based on male astronauts, so it’s hard to know exactly how space affects women’s bodies differently. Differences in bone strength, hormones, and heart health-along with individual and gender differences-show why space medicine needs to be personalized.
For example, women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis earlier because of estrogen levels. A 2021 study also found that women naturally have lower normal blood pressure than men.
Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become weak and brittle, increasing the risk of fractures. It happens when Bone loss (when bones lose calcium and minerals, making them weaker and more fragile) is faster than bone growth.
Women are much more likely to have autoimmune diseases, with about 80% of cases affecting them. This is why having more female astronauts is important to study how space impacts their immune system. An autoimmune disease happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells, causing inflammation, pain, and damage to organs and tissues. The importance of research in understanding biological differences So far, 75 women have traveled to space. However, a research review points out that while artificial intelligence could help speed up studies, there isn’t enough strong research on how space travel specifically affects women’s health. More studies are needed before AI can be fully useful in this area.
Scientists have studied how blood vessels react to microgravity and created a new device called the “?vessel-gravity biosensor”. Their research is expected to be published in January 2025.The device accurately tracks how blood vessels react to changes in their surroundings, like shifts in gravity. It could greatly improve research on how microgravity impacts blood vessels.
Studying how blood vessels age and the diseases linked to this process highlights why space medicine is so important. This research helps us learn more about health problems related to aging, both in space and on Earth.
Scientists say that space travel impacts almost every part of the human body. They stress the importance of studying how astronauts’ bodies react differently to space. Understanding how space affects men and women differently can help improve flight plans and reveal unique details about each astronaut’s body.
Understanding SANS and Astronaut Eye Health
Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) happens only in space and can affect astronauts’ eyes and vision.
Dr. Andrew Lee, a neuro-ophthalmologist and head of ophthalmology at the Blanton Eye Institute, explained to Interesting Engineering that while early research hinted at a gender difference in SANS, it actually affects both men and women.
Men and women see differently, so studying hormone changes in female astronauts can teach us more about eye health. Dr. Lee says researching these differences is important for future long space missions. He said that in the future, researchers might study “Spaceflight-Associated Dry Eye Syndrome (SADES)” and other eye problems related to hormones.
Dr. Lee mentioned that astronauts already receive personalized eye and medical checkups before their space missions.
Astronauts used to wear “space anticipation glasses” on the International Space Station (ISS), Dr. Lee explained. Now, scientists can predict vision changes before flight and provide the right presbyopic glasses (glasses for age-related farsightedness) in advance. He believes that in the future, personalized genetic medicine could help assess and manage health risks for space travel.
Understanding How Men and Women Adapt Differently to Space Challenges
Astronauts face physical challenges such as vibration, radiation, and isolation. Studies show that men and women may react differently-for example, female astronauts might feel more nausea during space travel. A study in 2022 examined blood samples from 51 astronauts (40 men and 11 women) who lived on the International Space Station (ISS) for 4 to 6 months between 2006 and 2018.
Blood samples taken before, during, and after the mission showed changes in metabolism (how the body uses energy), especially during recovery. Women, in particular, appeared to take longer to adjust back to normal.
The study found that long space missions affect how the body processes sugar and proteins. However, it also showed that more research and data are needed to understand these changes better.
Lack of Information and Limited Data
According to Interesting Engineering, Dr. Virginia Wotring, a professor who studies how space affects the human body and the Chief Academic Officer at the International Space University, says that the reason fewer women are in space-related fields is partly due to history. Space agencies only started selecting female astronauts fairly recently. The U.S. began in the 1980s, but in the Soviet Union, there was only one woman for a very long time. Europe started recruiting female astronauts more recently, about ten years ago. Because of this late start, there is a lot of catching up to do,” Dr Wotring said.
Dr. Wotring believes the number of female astronauts will continue to increase. She explained that since fewer women have traveled to space, there is less medical data on how space affects the female body. She emphasized the need for more qualified women to apply as astronauts.
She stated that no specific health issues have been found that would prevent women from joining space missions. Research is ongoing to develop personalized medical care for astronauts, focusing on individual needs for treatment and prevention.
Since there are only a few astronauts, it’s easier to create personalized medical plans for each one. She believes this is the best approach for their healthcare. She explained that all medicines, treatments, and tests used for astronauts come from medical practices originally developed on Earth. Dr. Wotring explains that because there are so few astronauts, they can receive highly personalized medical care. This makes space medicine very detailed. Research in space also helps improve healthcare on Earth since all medicines, tests, and treatments used in space come from Earth’s medical advancements, according to Interesting Engineering.
The Important Role of Female Astronauts
In the past, men have dominated space exploration, both as astronauts and in space science jobs.
Since fewer women have traveled to space, it’s harder to fully understand how microgravity and other space challenges affect them. There is no evidence that biology stops women from succeeding in space. This shows why equal opportunities are important.
To better understand how space affects women, we need more female astronauts. This research will shape the future of space travel and lead to medical advances tailored to individual needs.
Women astronauts help close these gaps, improving our knowledge of how space affects the body and leading to medical advances that benefit everyone.
(The author is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru)
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