NASA considers altering astronaut DNA for Mars mission

NASA plans to send its first manned mission to Mars between 2030 and 2040 but still faces a number of obstacles before then.

The Mars-bound astronauts will be exposed to high-energy particles and NASA is looking at ways to repair the damage this would do to their DNA. This could include actually altering the astronauts’ genes and genetic activity.

When humans travel beyond the Earth’s magnetic field for prolonged periods, they are exposed to charged atomic nuclei that can rip through DNA and increase the risk of both cancer and dementia.

According to a 2014 study on space radiation risks, astronauts would be exposed to levels of galactic cosmic ray radiation that would exceed their lifetime limit – within just two years. Astronauts headed to Mars would be exposed to radiation for at least this time period.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *