Study: Human Body Might Not Be Able to Survive for Long in Space

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In response to JOJOBA's question "...Also, how do we know these side-effects are not the result of the massive acceleration needed to get to orbit..." The answer is that we know because the people who are in space longest, have the most severe problem. If it was launch and landing issues, there wouldn't be a difference.

Larry of FL 8:29PM April 01, 2012

Where are the heroes who will volunteer for a one-way trip? Most of history's great explorers and pioneers did just that. Many thought they'd never return - this is a requirement for real exploration: the ability to accept that risk or certainty. Were you the first human to land on Mars, they would be naming continents after you there, or on the next, habitable planet.
I am amazed by the lack of vision, courage and grasp of this as an option. Especially in America, a nation of 300 million people, I am sure there are thousands of people who would volunteer. Call me inhuman. I call it extraordinarily human.

Barry of MA 10:57PM March 26, 2012

Generating artificial gravity is no big deal, you just have to design the craft to spin fast enough to create artificial gravity.
Check out the space station / hotel in the movie "2001 a Space Odyssey". It is spinning to generate artificial gravity.
We've always known that was the right way to do it, we just got lazy or cheap.
Also, how do we know these side-effects are not the result of the massive acceleration needed to get to orbit, or the stresses of returning to earth, or both? Newer "launch from aircraft" technology should reduce the g-forces somewhat.
Besides that, who would let a little thing like the health risks and death stop them from traveling to another planet? Nobody who wants to explore space would let something like a shortened life span stand in the way.

jojoba of CA 6:43PM March 26, 2012

Although costly, a spinning crew compartment on long space voyages, simulating even 0.5 g's, could probably mitigate any adverse physiological effects on humans.

Jonathan Michael O'Mara 12:23PM March 15, 2012