Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
1) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of fundamental medicine, Department of ecological and extreme medicine, Moscow; 2) Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Grigoriev A.I., e-mail: grigoriev@pran.ru; Potapov A.N., e-mail: potapov@imbp.ru
The history of space research numbers several thousand centuries as evidenced by the existence of observatories in ancient seats of civilization. Already in those remote times myths were created about humans travelling to other planets of the Solar system. Scientific astronomy arose with the use of telescope at the threshold of the 17th century and, with development, advanced our knowledge of Mars significantly. Conception and formation of theoretical and practical cosmonautics fell on end of the 19th and the 20th century. The revolutionary progress in studying objects of the Solar system came with the dawn of the space era. Development of cosmonautics headed on along two lines, piloted near-Earth flights and robotic missions to other planets. These were paralleled by working up projects of human flights to the Moon and Mars. There is now a solid scientific and technological background for making a piloted mission to Mars. Russia, USA and Europe are carrying on mega science projects thus paving the way for a future Mars exploration mission. A prominent place in these endeavors is occupied by the issues of biomedical support with consideration of the effects of multiple factors on the functioning of major body systems and psychological status of the crew. Much attention is also given to upgrading methods of selection for cosmonauts, protection against gravitational effects and space radiation, designing independent regenerative systems of life support, housekeeping and hygiene supplies and planetary quarantine program. Research and design efforts to this end are performed using, first and foremost, the settings and capabilities of the International space station. A part of the problems is resolved in experiments aboard biological satellites and laboratory model studies, extreme natural environments and specialized ground-based facilities. The last can be exemplified by international project MARS-500 on simulation of a mission to Mars; the project was fulfilled in 2010–2011 at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It furnished new scientific data and marked an important step toward launching a crew of Mars explorers. The most valuable outcome of MARS-500 was an idea of year-long mission to the International space station for in-flight testing of approaches to and technology of biomedical support in view of the needs of piloted mission to Mars.
background, remote space mission, piloted mission to Mars, biomedical support objectives, issues and prospect of piloted exploration mission
Цит.: Grigoriev A.I., Potapov A.N. Biomedical issues of manned mission to Mars // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2014; 1/2014; с. 4-16
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