'Project Hail Mary' Sparks Debate on Surviving Interstellar Space Travel

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

'Project Hail Mary' Sparks Debate on Surviving Interstellar Space Travel

The compelling narrative of Andy Weir's novel, 'Project Hail Mary,' which has also been adapted into a film, has ignited widespread fascination and critical thought regarding the survival prospects of humans undertaking journeys through interstellar space. The book's central premise, involving a perilous deep-space mission, highlights the immense biological and technological challenges inherent in venturing beyond our solar system, prompting a deeper examination of potential solutions and their scientific viability.

At the heart of the story lies the tragic fate of two of the three fictional astronauts who perish during their interstellar voyage. Dr. Haig Aintablian, an emergency physician and flight surgeon who leads UCLA's space medicine program, suggests that the narrative's choice to place the travelers in medically induced comas for the duration of their four-year journey might be a key factor. While envisioning the romantic appeal of sleeping through the arduous transit and awakening upon arrival, Dr. Aintablian cautions that maintaining a human body in a prolonged comatose state presents significant risks.

He elaborates that the human physiology is not adapted for prolonged stasis. Astronauts in comas face a heightened danger of life-threatening blood clots, severe muscle atrophy due to inactivity, and increased susceptibility to infections linked to the necessary life-support tubes and devices. These inherent vulnerabilities underscore the complexity of long-duration space travel and cast doubt on the practicality of relying solely on induced comas as a survival strategy for interstellar missions.

Considering these challenges, the question arises: what alternative methods might enable human survival during such epic voyages? Dr. Aintablian proposes cryopreservation as a potential solution. The ability to freeze individuals and safely thaw them upon arrival could theoretically circumvent the time constraints of interstellar travel. However, this approach is fraught with its own set of scientific uncertainties. It remains unknown whether human bodies can withstand the physiological stresses of freezing and thawing as effectively as certain animals, such as the wood frog. Integrative biologist Matthew Regan from the University of Montreal points out that human hearts function poorly below approximately 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). While some individuals have survived temporary drops in body temperature, these instances are not comparable to the years required for travel to distant stars.

With induced comas and cryopreservation presenting significant hurdles, the concept of hibernation, inspired by the natural world, emerges as another potential avenue. Small mammals like arctic ground squirrels enter a state of torpor, drastically slowing their metabolic rate to as low as 2% of normal – akin to a pilot light. Even hibernating bears reduce their metabolic activity and body temperature, though to a lesser extent than squirrels. Crucially, torpid animals do not suffer from blood clots or muscle atrophy, conditions that plague inactive humans.

If humans could achieve even a modest reduction in metabolic rate, similar to bears, the resource demands for feeding, maintaining the health, and ensuring the well-being of a crew on long space voyages would be substantially reduced. Furthermore, torpor might offer a degree of protection against ionizing radiation, a major concern for spacefarers, according to Regan. However, it's unlikely that continuous hibernation would be feasible for the entire journey. Ground squirrels and other hibernators periodically rouse themselves, rewarming and moving around. Neurochemist Kelly Drew of the University of Alaska Fairbanks suggests that these waking periods may be essential for muscle regeneration and maintaining brain health. Consequently, human astronauts might also require periodic awakenings to preserve cognitive function and muscle mass, as well as for nutritional intake.

The physiological preparation for such journeys also poses challenges. Hannah Carey, a hibernation biologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, notes that astronauts might not benefit from gaining significant weight before a mission. Bears that accumulate fat before hibernation often experience elevated cholesterol levels, which normalize as they lose weight. However, in humans, this side effect could increase the risk of heart disease. Carey also recounts observations of captive ground squirrels that became obese during hibernation and died mysteriously, suggesting that excessive body fat might place undue stress on their cardiovascular systems.

Ultimately, the narrative of 'Project Hail Mary' provides a fictional explanation for the astronauts' demise. When asked about the cause, author Andy Weir clarified that it was not a failure of human biology but a "tech failure." He explained that enduring a four-year coma is inherently dangerous, and even a minor technical malfunction could lead to catastrophic outcomes, as it did in the story. This narrative resolution underscores that while biological and physiological challenges are significant, the technological complexities of interstellar travel remain paramount, making such journeys a formidable frontier for human exploration.

Ekhbary News Agency