Multidisciplinary Mars Habitat and Human Health System Optimization
Abstract
In recent years, an unprecedented level of interest has grown around the prospect of sending humans to Mars for the exploration and eventual settlement of that planet. Besides the already known physical and psychological challenges related to spaceflights, a manned mission to Mars will pose even more health threats to humans and increase the need for maintaining a rigorous lifestyle, including exposure to radiation, gravity fields and hostile/closed environments (Hurlbert et al, 2012). However, the need for medical interventions will increase due to the length of the mission, the time delay in communication, and the limited medical resources on board. Current health system developments for Mars-based habitats are in their infancy (Detrell et al 2015). While research has investigated the challenges of transporting people to Mars, relatively little analysis has been performed in characterizing the challenges of maintaining human health upon arrival (Czupalla, 2015). Therefore, there is increasing scope to explore the design of novel ecological systems responsible for the clinical care of humans experiencing health issues such as exposure to space radiation, gravitational fields, risk of adverse cognitive or behavioural conditions and psychiatric disorders and wicked problems such as injuries and hypovolemic shock. The goal of this study was to construct a matrix of priories based on costs and urgency of biomedical 'issues' that could occur within the proposed Mars Habitat environment. There is further scope to develop to investigate a particular issue from this selection, using readily- available data, including from the University of Sydney Clinical Schools, Charles Perkins Centre and other related institutions. To inform this work, we conducted a systematic review of the human health-system architecting problem associated with historical and current Martian-based mission designs. The project has demonstrated the future scope to detail a meta-heuristic framework designed for Mars-habitat inhabitants based on Martian Environment Control & Life Support Systems & Crew Health Care Systems Architecture.
- Publication:
-
43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.161W