title: Manned interplanetary missions: prospective medical problems.
abstract: The present review aimed to suggest approaches to prospective medical problems related to the health maintenance of space crews during future manned interplanetary, particularly Martian, missions up to 2-3 years with a possible stay on a planet with gravity different from that on Earth. The approaches are based on knowledge so far obtained from our analysis of the medical support of long-term orbital flights up to one year, as well as on the consideration of specific conditions of interplanetary missions. These specific conditions include not only long-term exposure to microgravity, but also a prolonged stay of unpredictable duration (2-3 years) on board a spacecraft or on a planet without direct contact with Earth, and living in a team with a risk of psychological incompatibility and the impossibility of an urgent return to Earth. These conditions necessitate a highly trained medical person in the crew, diagnostic tools and equipment, psychophysiological support, countermeasures, as well as the means for urgent, including surgical, treatment on board a spacecraft or on a planet. In this review, the discussion was focused on the following predictable medical problems during an interplanetary mission; 1) unfavorable effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity, 2) specific problems related to Martian missions, 3) medical monitoring, 4) countermeasures, 5) psychophysiological support and 6) the medical care system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Problems, State Scientific Center, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Grigoriev
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Svetaylo
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Egorov
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D018480:Astronauts / Q000523:psychology*; D018470:Gravity, Altered; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D018535:Mars; D012934:Social Isolation; D013026:Space Flight; D014893:Weightlessness / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018544:Weightlessness Countermeasures