Recent news of a possible manned mission to Mars by 2030 has the science world buzzing, but what has cardiologists concerned is the astronauts’ increased risk of dying from cardiovascular problems.

To protect the health of astronauts, NASA has launched a new research institute to examine how radiation exposure could affect astronauts’ biological systems as well as how to protect against potential damage.

NASA awarded $246 million to The Center for Space Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston to find a way to keep astronauts healthy during prolonged space travel. The NASA Translational Research Institute will operate for a minimum of six years and maximum of 12 years.

A recent study suggested that exposure to deep space radiation beyond Earth’s protective magnetosphere could negatively impact blood vessels. According to the study, the Apollo astronauts were at an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular problems. Those partaking in the lunar missions died from cardiovascular problems at four to five times the rate of those who flew in low-Earth orbit or never flew at all.

The issue of space radiation accelerating atherosclerosis is important and may be one of the most important risks to middle-aged astronauts during long-duration space missions, said Levine, Harry S. Moss Heart Chair of Cardiovascular Research at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas. But he worries the study will send a message that deep space travel is too dangerous just as NASA and others are gearing up to send people to Mars. NASA is preparing to send a manned mission to Mars in the 2030s.

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