A dangerous job: the biggest risks astronauts face

For many kids and adults alike, being an astronaut seems like one of the coolest jobs anyone could aspire to.

It is, however, a risky thing to do, as it entails several dangers. This is why becoming an astronaut requires excellent preparation at all levels, which takes about ten years, according to NASA.

Photo: NASA

NASA is working on countermeasures to mitigate the risk that these hazards pose to astronauts, as the agency explained in its five-part series podcast called: “Houston, We Have A Podcast.” These are some of the biggest dangers astronauts face:

A small leak in the ship can be fatal. Despite being designed with all kinds of protection for eventual failures, cabin decompression would be fatal for the astronauts on the mission.

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One of the elements that astronauts train the most is the reaction to any type of circumstance that could lead to decompression in the cabin in order to solve it as soon as possible and, incidentally, save lives.

Photo: Unsplash - NASA

Known as the invisible threat, cosmic radiation is a medium to long-term danger that multiplies the risks of cancer and other diseases in astronauts.

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Obviously, space agencies provide their astronauts with suits that have the maximum protection that technology has developed, to avoid problems later on. Even so, it is difficult to measure the real danger of cosmic radiation.

NASA estimates that more than 20,000 objects (rocket fragments, satellites, etc.) are in low Earth orbit, which implies a high risk of impact with the spacecraft or astronauts in orbit.

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Space agencies are constantly working to clean up this space debris and preserve the safety of their missions, but the quantity and difficulty are such that there will always be some dangerous objects around.

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Being in zero gravity seems like an incredible experience, however, it  also poses a threat to human health. Specifically, it can affect  balance and coordination.

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At worst, an astronaut walking out of their spacecraft for the first time could slip and break a bone the moment they get back to Earth, because their bones and muscles have weakened over time, according to NASA’s podcast.

Photo: Unsplash - NASA

It is not common, at these levels of specialization, to make technical or human mistakes. But as history has shown, they still happen. And they can have fatal consequences in a mission.

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The astronauts that are part of a mission, however, are prepared to repair any eventual problem that the ship may have.

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Despite the fact that the International Space Station serves as a rough base for the trip and there are supply vehicles, being so far from home can take a noticeable toll on your mood and mental health.

Photo: Unsplash - NASA

Some missions, such as a trip to Mars, take years, and from there, communication takes about 40 minutes to reach Earth. How’s that for isolation?

Photo: NASA

The feeling of isolation can have a tremendous impact on the minds of the members of a mission, leading to severe emotional disturbances.

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This is why psychological preparation and therapy are just as important as physical or technical preparation, according to NASA.

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Added to this is the fact of being exposed to all the aforementioned dangers.

Photo: Pexels - T. Leish

The sun rises and sets 16 times in 24 hours aboard a spaceship, because astronauts hurtle around the Earth once every 90 minutes, which can affect a person’s immune system.

While crews do as much as possible to keep their bodies to a schedule, like eating at regular times and having firm sleep periods, it’s difficult to fool the brain when light and dark keeps changing outside the window.

NASA immunologist Brian Crucian, explains that in-flight sleep is very important as it can affect an astronaut’s immune system. The space agency is further investigating how circadian rhythms  affect crews and what can be done to help mitigate the negative health effects.