Depending on the rotation speed, gravity fields ranging from 0 to a full earth-G can be experienced by the crew. With the crew in torpor, we don't have to worry about uncomfortable gravity gradients and coriolis effects, so we can spin faster and with a much smaller radii than possible with a conscious/active crew. The total gross mass for the habitat is roughly the same as the baseline.
Nice job from Mark Elwood at SpaceWorks Studios for illustrating this option for us!
Would hair and nails grow? How much? Compare to such growth in astronauts.
ReplyDeleteYes, hair and nail growth would still occur. Response from Dr. Talk on our medical team: "Since all metabolic activity is slowed while in the Torpor state it would be expected that nail and hair growth would decrease at an equal metabolic rate. This would slow hair growth and nail growth by approximately 40-50%. If asleep for the entire 6 month trip to Mars, this would equal about 1 inch of hair growth and 9 mm (or about 3/8 inch) for nails."
ReplyDeleteCan you provide further information on your comment in the FAQ document that "current human studies have shown the safety and medical benefit of Torpor for as long as 14 days straight and as many as 5 repeat cycles." Have those studies been published, or if not is any other information available?
ReplyDeleteAre the studies referred to on page 7 of your FAQ document published, or if not is any other information on these human studies available? "Current human studies have shown the safety and
ReplyDeletemedical benefit of Torpor for as long as 14 days straight and as many as 5 repeat cycles."
Yes, these studies have been published. Here is one of the references regarding the 14-day TH cases:
ReplyDelete"Effect of long-term mild hypothermia therapy in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: 1-year follow-up review of 87 cases"
Ji-Yao Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., Ming-Kun Yu, M.D., Ph.D., and Cheng Zhu, M.D.,
Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 93:546-549, October 2000.