Sending people into space to stay for unprecedented periods of time is still a scientific marvel to me. The technology behind the process is staggering, and the medical implications on the human body are still being discovered. But, when the four astronauts splashed back down to earth and were hospitalized, NASA was tight-lipped about the reasons why.
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The recent expedition to the International Space Station was one of the longest on record. The cosmonauts and astronauts were stranded up there for 235 days due to hurricanes and a faulty capsule from Boeing. On their return to Earth, three astronauts and one cosmonaut were hospitalized, with no explanation from NASA.
In this case, I can understand why they were taken in for study. Being in zero gravity for such an extended period of time must wreak havoc on the body. We have evolved to work with gravity, and many of our organs rely on it to function properly. The extended stretches of time we are now spending in space are a biological dark spot.
NASA Gives Lackluster Explanation For Hospitalized Astronauts
The world waited with bated breath as the space-faring scientists splashed down. The rescue mission was a success, and we all wanted to know how they felt up there for so long. However, NASA denied us the pleasure.
As the astronauts set foot back on terra firma, NASA hospitalized them, presumably for study. Until now we have had little explanation as to why. But, Barret, one of the hospitalized astronauts, gave us some insight in a statement. "Spaceflight is still something we don't fully understand. We're finding things that we don't expect sometimes. This was one of those times and we're still piecing things together on this."
This cryptic bit of information gives us very little to work with. Is one of them pregnant with alien babies? Have they stared into the void of space and seen the future? The astronauts remained mostly silent on their medical reason for being hospitalized by NASA, but there are speculations.
One of the most common theories has to do with the changes in blood pressure that happen from being in zero gravity for so long. Due to the length of their stay, certain parts of the circulatory system can start to atrophy. Unlike the legs or arms, the heart cannot be forced to work harder in zero gravity as easily. It can lose some strength, leading to dizziness and low blood pressure on return to earth.
