Connect with us

Travel

SpaceX mission finds blood destruction and DNA mutation result from space travel

Published

on

SpaceX mission finds blood destruction and DNA mutation result from space travel

The SpaceX Inspiration4 mission saw two men and two women orbit Earth for three days in September 2021 – and now, a study has revealed the impact of space travel on the body’s immune system

The research drew data from the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission(A 2021 Inspiration4 2021/Netflix)

A recent study has unveiled the havoc that space can wreak on the human body, including impacts on blood, cells, and the immune system.

The research drew data from the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, which in 2021 saw two men and two women orbiting Earth for three days. The findings revealed that space travel disrupts the immune system, sparking inflammatory responses and significant disruption to cells.




The brief, high-altitude spaceflight led to the production of both documented and previously unseen cytokines. Cytokines, generated by the immune system, are vital for immune responses and muscle regulation but aren’t typically associated with inflammation.

Some of these cytokines were identified as exerkines, proteins produced during exercise by muscles. There was also a notable increase in myokines, proteins originating from skeletal muscle cells, suggesting a physiological response to microgravity rather than purely an immune response, reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base

READ MORE: Astronaut’s return could be postponed by 90 days as Boeing struggles to find a fix for Starliner

The Inspiration4 mission, sent only civilians into space for several days aboard a SpaceX rocket(A 2021 Inspiration4 2021/Netflix)

Non-muscle tissues didn’t show any changes in inflammation-related proteins. However, the soleus muscle located at the back of the leg displayed a significant increase in muscle exertion. Additionally, the tibialis anterior muscle at the front of the leg showed an increase in interleukins, crucial for activating immune cells.

Continue Reading