The Problem with Deep Space Travel 

Hallucinations and mental health issues happened at sea when I was in the Navy. Starts at about 50 days continuously at sea. We had guys who swore they saw flying men with bat wings, paranoid behavior of all types, and lots of insomnia. I can only imagine what a multi year mission to Mars will do to people.

I just want to clarify around the 8 minute or so mark in the video, when you bring up that “some astronauts have hallucinated… flashes of light,” there’s pretty good evidence to suggest that those in particular may not be hallucinations at all, but rather a type of high-energy radiation that happens to pass through the optic nerve.

I don't think it's fair to mention Skylab astronauts turning off radio communications with mission control without also mentioning that they were being worked 24 hours a day. They weren't out of their minds they were exhausted and standing up for themselves.

Another problem with Deep Space Travel is simply... time. Lots and lots of time. It was touched on a couple of times, but really the time factor becomes huge in its own right whenever you start looking past the Moon or Mars. Four light years doesn't sound like much to get to our nearest solar nighbor, until you realize that at current technology that's centuries of time spent between systems in the deep black nothingness of space.

You didn’t mention a really promising anti-radiation technique undergoing studying, fungi discovered into radioactive scenarios (like old reactors or similar). This type of fungi works and live by radio-synthesis, basically the same process of a regular photosynthesis that every plants do to convert energy of sun into life. Design a new type of “insulation” for space ships and stations (both in orbit or the ground of other celestial bodies) could minimize the exposure of astronauts and be really cheap to maintain since the nature of the “natural” solution.

Many years ago in a high school creative writing class, I wrote a story where scientists were conducting an experiment to see if people could withstand long periods of time in space. At one point the participants in the space ship reported that a salesman was tapping on their window trying to sell them stuff. The scientist's conclusion of course was that no, humans weren't meant for long trips in space.

Another thing can be the background "noise" that is constant on earth. Basically a frequency that we are used to and get negative psycholigical effects without

"What you need, is, a clown." *space station 13 veteran cracks knuckles* "My time to shine."

8:15 the flashes of light could actually be high energy particles interacting with the optic nerve or the brain. Basically like a bit flip in your neurones. There is a great video by Veritasium about the topic.

Always a pleasure to get an upload from this channel.

For such a relatively new channel this is still definitely one of the best not just in science but overall quality on RU-vid. Please keep up the great work

Now this is the unique type of content we both never expected yet needed to see We seriously need to Make Astronauts -Hr Giger biomechanics- durable to extreme effects of space

Mental health being taboo has many deleterious effects to society, one of which is ignoring the importance of psychology as a field of technology. Unfortunately, although the military of Western countries seems to recognize the importance of dealing with it, basically every developing country, as well as developed Asian countries, seems to have problems with it. As a psychologist, this is super frustrating to watch.

9:55 I just had a wild thought. Have you ever seen John Carpenter's The Thing. What if there was no alien thing. What if the entire episode was a group delusion. This group of people just went crazy due to the isolation, and they killed each other because they believed they were alien shape shifters. An interesting and frankly more terrifying story. More terrifying because it's so unlikely that an alien shape shifter would crash on Earth it might as well be impossible. But a group of people living in isolation, that can, totally happen.

I've done a couple of space grade projects for the Space Shuttle long ago. The BIGGEST problem that I encountered was that just about EVERYTHING out-gasses. Anything that's a solvent, paints, inks, plastics, etc. 😖 It was a major pain in the @$$. I don't think they were imagining any smells. They were probably real fumes emitted by equipment itself.

just like how apollo mission advanced microchip technology, the next space venture will surely push gene editing technology to the next level since it seems impossible for human long term stay outside the earth without messing with our body

Love the feel of this channel - Just pure knowledge.

The radiation protection vest shown in the video is from the Israeli company Stemrad. I worked on the lower back portion (i.e.: the butt) of the vest that's going on Orion this year. There are two dolls onboard: One called Zohar that will wear the vest, and one called Helga that will not. Each doll is packed with radiation sensors that's measure the effectiveness of the vest. Another vest like this is already on the ISS and was tested for commutability and effect on astronaut work performance in microgravity.

Such a comprehensive overview, very nice! I wonder if just putting sleeping ares in a centrifuge would be enough to support long duration missions.

I feel like I should be watching this on the Discovery Channel! Wild that I’m getting this for free on RU-vid. Thank you for making and sharing this!

I worked many years city mass transport service depo maintaining streetcars or trolleys. I noticed 1/3 of long term mechanics who stayed in same work area year after year. Dealing with 750-980 volt overhead electric power. Had developed tremors and other minor neurological problems. Making their other underline hidden and past health issues more troublesome.

I enjoy isolation...during lock down, I was like, 'OK, so life as usual then'...but even the most secluded introvert needs at least a little interaction with other humans on occasion...I can go for quite some time without being face to face with another human, but every once in a while you need to talk to someone who's capable of responding with something other than 'woofs' or 'meows'...so even the most solitary human would have a problem with deep space isolation after a while, but an introvert would last a lot longer than most others would...

I think VR headset would be so much useful for astronauts they could be getting sence of living on earth while traveling far

I have been following your channel for sometime now. You produce stimulating content. It’s well put together and presents fairly thorough set of discussion points. Typically, I have also found that you’ve been able to condense your analysis to less 30min. That said, my opinions mean nothing to the general pop., so easily dismissible, but for what it is worth you produce engaging content. Well done :).

NASA: "We need humor, a uniquely human trait!" Also NASA: "So we're gonna build a computer to mimic human humor simulations--"

One of the few channels I actually want the bell rung on. Also, to loosely quote Mr. Tyson: All this talk about colonizing other worlds and the technology we would need to achieve that, you'd think we would be able to save our own planet with less effort.

I love this channel. I constantly check if there's new videos and always yell in excitement when there's a new upload. Thanks for doing what you do!

This channel lives up to its name with each upload. Well researched, cutting edge science, simplified presentation.

I recently found this channel, and words can not describe how much I appreciate your hard work giving us this amazing content. 💜

I love the early stage of videos, switching between thumnails and titles. I don't care about the video thumnails and titles from Real Science, because no matter the topic, Real Science will produce something good.

As always amazing work guys . .. always enjoying and excited for everyone new episode

Great job breaking down the radiation limitations. Odd how so many videos overlook this massively important aspect.

Another great one! When she started talking about the genetic engineering of astronauts it gets scary! I see ANOTHER great sci-fi film based on that part of this alone. 🧡😱

8:14 - Those flashes of light aren't hallucinations, actually. They have something to do with the radiating high-speed particles, which would be normally blocked, but aren't in the outer space and thus do interact with the nerves of the eye, making the astronauts see these sudden short flashes.

Great channel. It appeared in my feed and I'll be binge watching it! Duly subscribed, thank you.

I finally found a good quality, true science channel. Thanks so much, I’ve been looking through your videos a lot. Thanks for your informative videos, and keep up the good work!

This presentation suggests that we're considering some of the most overt biological effects of spending extended time off earth, but there's surely a myriad of other, unidentified vulnerabilities. Humans evolved on earth, with earth, for earth. We're just beginning to understand our microbiomes, viral, bacterial and parasitic interdependence, nutritional needs, etc.

I've read that when a cosmic ray hits your brain in space it can register as a flash of light, even when you're asleep.

One thing to note about seeing flashes of light: In some cases it's not purely hallucination, cosmic rays might be one of reasons(which might be reduced assuming that a long duration spacecraft would have more radiation shielding for some more safety). And I'm nearly sure those "figures" may in some cases by partially caused by seeing actual things outside(like pieces of debris or ice), something that may be fewer to see in interplanetary travel.

14:00 Mobile Suit Gundam tech has never been needed more then it is now, a large robotic exosuit with radiation protection ability to travel and traverse space from and to space stations, might even be able to have some sort of resistance weight system added to the suit so it forces you to have to move against a resistance ratio to earth gravity,

Geeze, I would feel so messed up inside an open centrifuge. Seeing the outside go by sideways gives me the same vertigo from sleeping sloppy drunk. It's really amazing what humans are capable of!

The University of RU-vid

I had no idea you uploaded such a cool video until it was suggested in my feed. Thanks for always spreading knowledge in such an entertaining way !

Really like this channel, particularly the narrator. Sometimes the narrators on science channels try to be comedic and talk to you like a child and it really grates.

Amazing video as always!

This would be a really cool movie. Imagine we are in a "zoo" and the hallucination are just glitches in some reality masking tech. The advanced beings would never know its causing any issues cause it's so effective.

9:30 - This is such an underrated approach by many companies. Having a good team is not about having 10 people with cool CV's, but having 10 people who can potentially be friends. I have a good example from my own experience. I've been working in a company for many years, working with cool people. One day, we hired a "good candidate" according to her CV. After she joined us, the whole process started to fall apart, she was fighting others for not being "good enough", and some people even left the company because of her. Then the other example... I've been playing basketball with a bunch of semi-good players, and we are up and down winning and losing, we are very mediocre players. But we are all very good friends, almost like a family of 15 people. We go to vacations together, we go for beer every now and then. That's why we achieved a championship last year after 7 years of trying.

This was a very good video, based on facts and, well, real science ;-) I like the format, keep it up. Subscribed.

Does Mars have an atmosphere dense enough to cut down the radiation like Earth does? You mentioned the journey to Mars exceeding radiation levels but what happens after you exceed that and actually make it to Mars do you just die of radiation poisoning soon after?

Contents: Risk 1 2:20 Risk 2 7:09 Risk 3 10:56

A video from this channel always brightens up my week. Top tier content.

What a great video. 👍🏻 🙂 thank you for sharing with us ❤️. You did a really good job.

In the intro: Crewed missions to Mars with stays on Mars for months or years? Or one-day, entire lifetimes? I think the first crewed missions to Mars will be for the remainder of their lives. Once anyone is on Mars, I think they will be stuck there. I don't think they will have the resources or infrastructure to return. I feel bad for them. Anyone who does it will spend the rest of their life very lonely and disconnected.

Whoa, the loss of bone density is intense in space!!!

The personality model is called PCM process communication model and it's really interesting! My work uses it and I use it in my personal life!

I'll wait for the Star Trek Enterprise ;-) Thanks for the vid, learned a lot! Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.

Well done video, it discusses many of the problems we're currently encountering. But... What no one is addressing is that we're thinking too small. We're trying to repeat an Apollo-like expedition in a tin can (Artemis), and then wonder why the problems mount. Make the ship BIG, shield it with water, (which is a fantastic radiation shield, btw,) use the water to produce the air (you could even use it for fuel!) Put a bloody nuclear reactor on board! Then you've got juice for engines, an EM field generator and you can put a coaxial centrifuge for stability. Interior design needs to come into play too. We know that clutter is hard on us psychologically, and yet, the ISS is a cluttered mess, spatially. That is just poor design. Design it to be as comfortable as a luxury cruise. If the folks at SpaceX can make Starship work, you could assemble a ship with all of the above in 6-10 launches and thumb your nose at everything discussed in this video while on your way to Mars in 30 days instead of 270. (That is, if the FAA will just piss off!)

With the new CRISPER in development, we could make it quick and easy. Although loads of tests would have to be conducted first, it still appears as the best available and feasible option we currently have. Fantastic video. Keep them coming

Such a good video, Thanks for the quality content Real Science

This channel is amazing. Thank you for your content!

Genetic modification is obviously a technology that will be extremely important in the future to combat things like obesity, superbugs and the like. But I am terrified that as we genetically modify people, we will end up with classes of people that are inherently different. Especially if we figure out how to extend life, increase intelligence and enhance beauty.

I thought water shielding also helps to protect against radiation. Still it might be to heavy for lifting a rocket but in space loading the shield with water maybe

Well thank you. I’ve been wanting to know this particular information quite awhile now.

Very well depicted topic, love the video :)

Thanks. Inhibiting DNA breakdown may sound like a keen idea, until we remember how hard it is to kill cancer already. Given that cancer is associated with viruses, bacteria, and human genes, that idea might well backfire on us in a major way over the long term. Personally, I think building more suitable ships in space - at least in orbit - is a better option. It may take longer, but maybe that's OK. tavi.

"You need a clown" Me: it's showtime

One of the best videos so far. Keep it up!

I was a little boy when 2001 - A Space Odyssey came out (1968). That was when I first was made aware of a rotating wheel that housed people on a space station that utilized artificial gravity. So the engineering for this has been around for quite a long time. NASA or Elon Musk and any other contenders wanting to send Man to Mars will have no choice but to implement this habitat if they want its space-faring passengers to arrive safe & sound. Then there are issues of radiation protection and activities to keep everyone from going stir crazy on this six-month journey. Food requirements will be enormous as well. There are just so many facets to consider it boggles the mind.

The two simple truths of real space exploration: 1 - nuclear power is not optional, it's mandatory. High power compact sources are necessary. 2 - artificial gravity is far simpler than trying to engineer a way around the human body's necessity for gravity. It takes size and mass, no way around it.

Saw a video on this topic featuring a German astronaut. She said on board centrifuges are also problematic due to the sickness feeling they cause. Anyway, it's a privilege to receive this kind of high quality content from you. Thank you so much! ♥

I don't usually spend much time with videos over 15 minutes. But you guys made it interesting that I have stayed until the video ended.

Nice video. Love your content! ❤️

Mentioning skylab turning off communication with Mission Control right after mental health problems is super inappropriate. Ignoring Mission Control was a protest against unhealthy working conditions. It wasn't because of the astronauts mental problems that they stopped talking to Mission Control, but rather it's because Mission Control's unethically tightly controlled work schedule.

Just more proof comedians have some of the most important jobs in society.

I would imagine sexual contact to be highly important and perhaps necessary too. That special connection we have together can't be found apart. The physical and psychological benefits must be hugely important in keeping a healthy balance amongst crew members.

Well done essay. To the point and fact filled.

Artificial gravity ships that travel faster (1-10 percent c) is what I am getting from this. Maybe put more amenities on board for the crew and consider hibernation for periods of the trip. Of course this will be thousands of years from now when we can afford this and have the will to make it :)

As an introvert, when you started talking about the extreme isolation I actually got a bit envious. I've been living the isolation of peak lockdown for years upon years because it's how I prefer to live. The thing that REALLY made me anxious was the thought of being in a confined space with the same few people without the ability to get away from them. That's a straight-up horror show for someone like me. Get away from me! D:

The submarine service has been the test bed for part 2 since the 50’s.

Excellent videos, definitely earned my subscription👍

Nasa to send clowns to space, got it

The worst part about this is how the most intimate details and nuance of the human experience is reduced down to operational efficiency for the achievement of a “greater” government or corporate goal. Tricking our fellow human minds into patterns that “reduce depression” or “boost morale” essentially artificially is so horrifically pointless to me. We’re missing the entire point of the human experience, focusing only on this false idol we’ve named “Progress.” Technological advancement is not inherently bad, obviously. But losing the plot, forgetting the importance of “life,” no longer living just to live. That’s the real tragedy.

This is the content I've been searching for everywhere now here it is right in front of me, I have to invest into curiosity stream now💜💯

Fascinating analysis, thank you.

I wonder if NASA has done any tests on reproduction in space.

Do you think that some sort of modified/mutated gene could be passed down from an astronaut to their children to make space more bearable? From someone who has been to space several times for long amounts of time?

The fact that making genetically engineered astronauts isnt completely off the table equally concerns and fascinates me.

"Many of us got a taste of isolation during the worst covid lockdowns" bro it was the best time in my entire life

All the problems that happen to the human body in space is why we are not going to Mars anytime soon. Yet again, something else Musk is completely wrong about.

Hey I wouldn't mind if you use some yt tricks to get views this channel deserves more views in my opinion By this you can spread more knowledge

Thanks for the vid great job, always a great place for inspiration for me and my videos. Peace

Very interesting and well documented discussion of the matter at hand. In order to speak concretely about implementing artificial gravity, there’s a screaming need for real world testing; at the very least some sort of rotating demo model in a “vomit comet” or reduced-gravity aircraft. Would a rotating space station in earth orbit remain in an orientation towards the earth throughout its orbit, or would it retain the orientation it attained when it started spinning? How would it be moved to avoid space debris? I think there are many more questions that can’t be answered theoretically before humans are placed onboard such a vehicle. Thank you for your informative videos!!

I can't wait until people finally go to Mars. I just hope they find a way to live.

Elon should have a long stay up there.

Whatever the percentage of time required to be under some form of gravity, at least half of it, if not all of it, could be achieved by having your astronauts sleep in the rotating section. Drugs can also play some part in negating the health effects, the Osteoclast's that break down bone can be suppressed, and the Osteoblast's that make bone can be given a little tickle under the nags to get their act together...

A very good voice for narration!

try to understand this, if you wake up out of a nightmare, you can't even tell that you're awake, there's no bed that's pressed against you with the force of gravity. there's no solace, there's no sense of relief, that you get knowing that you're in the safety of your own home.

Let's take a moment to appreciate how this professional documentary is available for free to everyone to view.

Perhaps a good place to leave this comment, for the impressive content/ community. Right at 17:00 minutes into video, concerning "protection from radiation", a dream I had many years ago will perhaps trigger ideas for a real developer. In the dream, I found myself on a "special" after hours tour of the Smithsonian (a favorite place as a child ...) and I was being shown two devices/ technologies that protected the human body from radiation. In the dream, even, I could not understand how these methods could possibly work. The first method was just like the video: it was a slightly larger than a sheet of normal sized paper, which one placed across their chest. I asked "how could a single piece of paper stop radiation?" and it was explained that the paper was actually a special type of rice paper which formed a field large enough for a person. The second device (or object) was something resembling a small cask (exactly like a wine cask, but only about 1/2" tall). This was simply worn around the neck as part of a necklace. Again, I had to ask in the dream "How would this possibly work?!" and it was explained that the shape was only symbolic, other forms worked as well. The "cask" appeared to be made of a specific black clay, something I recognized later as the clay from Central America used by indigenous peoples for decorative or functional pottery. I have also seen pottery of SW American peoples such as the Navajo or even Anasazi, apparently made of same black clay. Put together, the paper and minerals, it reminds me a little of the devices "shown" worn by those responsible for handling/ transporting the Arc of the Covenant, with this "clay" affixed where the gem stones would have been. It was further explained that they did not need to both be used, either method worked equally well. May this somewhat random information - if of any use - only rightly serve to the benefit of all human-kind. And a fine day to everyone.

7:19 I would like to point out that when it hit nothing changed from my normal lifestyle as an introvert