Will Turkish Astronaut Alper Gezeravcı experience a health problem? What are the factors that threaten the lives of space travelers? Who was affected in the past, and how? What is the life expectancy of astronauts? Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Çetingüç told Aydınlık...
Retired Air Colonel, psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Çetingüç stated that astronauts experience no permanent health problems during short-term space missions. Çetingüç, who is also the Chairman of the Aviation and Space Association, said that Turkish Astronaut Alper Gezeravcı will experience balance issues upon his return to Earth due to re-exposure to gravity. For this reason, when space travelers land on Earth, they are carried out of the capsule, placed on a wheelchair or stretcher, and transported to a hospital. We present Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Çetingüç's answers to our questions...
There wasn't even space sickness
-Are there any expected health problems for Gezeravcı?
During short-term space missions, there are no permanent problems; the biggest issue, if it occurs, is what we call space sickness. It's a problem caused by weightlessness. Our balance organ, called the Vestibular system in our ear, works with gravity. It generates perceptions and sends them to our consciousness. Even with your eyes closed and in darkness, it gives us our sense of position, such as whether you are lying on your right side, sitting, or lying on your back. In environments without gravity, the Vestibular system becomes inactive. At that point, a person cannot tell where they are, whether they are standing or sitting. One becomes disoriented, and this triggers a nausea reflex. During the journey to space, there are tremendous vomiting spells in the first hours and days. One gets knocked out. During that first welcome ceremony at the space station, I thought, oh no, I hope Gezeravcı doesn't vomit. He didn't, which is great.
‘Space Return Syndrome’
-Is it just a balance problem upon return?
Gezeravcı will experience ‘space return syndrome’ for a few days. After 15-16 days, his body will be free from the effects of weightlessness and will once again be exposed to gravity. Because of this, the balance organ in our brain becomes disoriented. Those returning from space are carried in arms, transported on something like a stretcher. They are taken from the capsule, placed in a vehicle, and transported to the hospital. They cannot walk, their balance is disturbed, they fall, but they adapt quickly. They are very healthy people, people who have passed through very rigorous selections.
The second problem is impaired blood circulation in the space station. What happens when you stand up? With a G (gravity) force, the blood tissue in our body tends to be pulled downwards, from head to toe. The heart pumps this to our brain, but the tendency is for blood to go downwards. In weightless environments, blood is under equal pressure in both lower and upper organs. This causes swelling in the face and eyes. You might have noticed a swelling in Alper Gezeravcı's face.
Similar problems will occur in the first few days, and these are tolerable. If a person does not experience space sickness, there won't be a serious physical health problem. Pilots generally do not experience space sickness. Both Americans and Russians mostly sent fighter pilots into space initially. This is because they are accustomed to planes doing somersaults and turns. I wouldn't volunteer for such a mission!
Infections in space can be serious problems
-What happens during long-term stays?
There is Valeri Polyakov, a Russian cosmonaut, the person who stayed in space for the longest continuous period in human history. He stayed in space for 426 days and 18 hours without interruption. Now, another Russian cosmonaut is probably breaking his record these days. During these record stays, some gradual physical deteriorations occur. Due to the decrease in external pressure, eye dilation occurs. The immune system begins to weaken. If one were to contract a microbial disease there, although it is very well sterilized, and as far as we know, there are no microbes or viruses in space, there is a possibility they could be brought from Earth. When infectious diseases occur, serious problems can arise during long stays.
-Has it been observed since the 1960s?
There are no known medical problems. Furthermore, even Valeri Polyakov, who stayed in space for the longest period, did not experience permanent bodily issues.
The biggest problem is radiation
-Is radiation the biggest problem during long stays in space?
Yes, this is life-threatening. Long stays slightly disrupt body functions, can cause anemia, and vision problems, but ultimately, they are not fatal. However, radiation is lethal. Without those protective suits or the specially constructed walls of the spacecraft, that radiation, for example on Mars or the Moon, would instantly damage the brain and blood cells, leading to cancers. It would not even be possible to endure for a few days.
-Like Hiroshima?
If directly exposed, yes, like Hiroshima, and skin burns would occur. During spacewalks, astronauts, as you see, wear a suit like a robot. They carry oxygen tanks, water, etc. on their backs, performing external repairs to the spacecraft. That suit weighs around 145 kilograms, it's that heavy. It has many layers that filter radiation and protect against cold. Without that suit, one would instantly die from the cold; the temperature there is over minus 100 degrees Celsius. The external pressure is zero, which is also lethal.
Their life expectancy is not shorter than average
-You had written in an article that no abnormal cancer cases were observed in those who went and returned.
Correct. I had written a book titled Aviation and Space Psychology. It's like an encyclopedia, a reference book, 1200 pages. Curious people can look at the sections they are interested in... I wrote in that book. Around 650 people have gone to space and returned. I scanned available sources to find out their causes of death and life spans. There are 12 astronauts who landed on the Moon, and 80-90 astronauts who went to space. The life expectancy of astronauts is not shorter than the general average.
Has made it his mission to explain aviation medicine
Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Çetingüç is a psychiatrist. He served in the Air Force and retired with the rank of colonel in 1998. Since 2000, he has been the Chairman of the Aviation and Space Association. He founded and managed the Aerospace Medicine Application and Research Center at Anadolu University. He left after a change in rector. Later, he moved to Üsküdar Üniversitesi, where he organized some courses and training programs. He now works part-time at a hospital. Meanwhile, he also writes. In his own words, he has made it his mission to explain the role of aviation medicine in flight safety.
‘Our journey to space was very auspicious’
-How do you evaluate a Turkish astronaut going into space?
I think it was very auspicious. It is a very historic event. It will inspire many of our scientists and young people. I actually hold an opposing political view. From time to time, people from my friend group or elsewhere, jokingly tell me, ‘this is the government's project, you're cheering them on,’ making fanatical, superficial comments like everything the government does is an unnecessary expense. As people living in Atatürk's Turkey, we cannot be a passive, insignificant country. Sensible people from every political group who love their country have attached importance to this. When you remain passive, you become vulnerable to attacks and being pushed around. I look at it from a scientific perspective. Just as we say we exist in Antarctica as a country, we must also be in space. We cannot compete with giant countries; we are a medium-sized country, but we cannot withdraw from these fields. It is important for Alper Gezeravcı or a Turkish person to be there, to have a presence there, for us to be one of the 45 countries that send astronauts into space, and for us to conduct some small or large experiments there.
‘China started that way too’
There is a malady in our country: an inferiority complex. This exists in many countries too. Such as, ‘we won't amount to anything, we just use what they do, we imitate them.’ China started that way too. These things bring momentum; you build your own spacecraft, your own rocket, you develop your science. They started in the 1940s and 50s. We don't have to compete immediately; first, we will assimilate the knowledge they have contributed to science. We will try to do things ourselves, take the first steps. Then it will develop.
‘Roscosmos offered first’
As a country, we were somewhat behind in this matter. This is not the fault of current or former politicians. For years, Turkey wanted to go to space, but they wouldn't allow it. America wouldn't take us even if we paid. For psycho-political reasons. I think it was three years ago, during our rapprochement with Russia, the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) made this offer to Turkey, saying, "We can take a Turkish person to space, to the Space Station, with a Soyuz vehicle."
At that time, Soyuz 11 was carrying astronauts, including Americans. As soon as we seemed to enter negotiations with Russia, America probably stepped in to prevent us from being lost to them. Elon Musk came here. The American President made an offer, and as a result, this relationship with SpaceX came to fruition.
‘Like Chris Hadfield…’
There is a remarkable astronaut in America named Chris Hadfield; he is alive, and last year he came to Bursa, to the GUHEM Space Center. Many astronauts came there to motivate young people. On July 20, 1969, when humanity set foot on the Moon with the Apollo 11 spacecraft, Hadfield, then a 10-year-old boy, watched this journey on television and was deeply impressed, deciding then to become an astronaut. He is a remarkable astronaut and scientist... When a Turk went there, motivation was awakened in thousands and tens of thousands of our young people; a deeper seed was planted. It's a step that will accelerate space studies. Alper Gezeravcı's job after returning will be to travel everywhere, perhaps for months, years, give speeches everywhere, visit children, young people, and universities, and answer their questions.