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Summary: Researchers examined changes in telomere length during a short civilian space mission.

Abstract: Space is a really cool place. It is even becoming popular as a tourist destination! But space is also a dangerous place. Floating around sounds fun, right? But weightlessness can have negative impacts on human health. Think muscle and bone loss or vision problems. And exposure to cosmic radiation can actually damage our DNA. So, it is important to better understand how the human body responds to being in space. 

We studied DNA from the 2021 SpaceX Inspiration4 mission crew. We looked at it before, during, and after their 3-day trip to space. We were particularly interested in telomeres – the “end-parts” of chromosomes that protect the DNA. Telomere length relates to aging and the risk of other diseases. We found that telomeres got longer while the crew was in space. When the astronauts returned to Earth, telomeres quickly shortened. Exposure to cosmic radiation might have triggered this dynamic response. Keeping people safe from cosmic radiation is essential for any long-duration spaceflight. In the future we can use this information to help keep people healthy as we explore the cosmos.

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