Stantec's groundbreaking research is revolutionizing the way we approach deep space exploration, particularly in the realm of medical safety. This innovative work, conducted in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center and academic partners, addresses a critical challenge: ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications during long-duration missions to Mars. By developing a comprehensive framework, Stantec's Health Sciences Advisory team is paving the way for safer medical planning, even in the harsh conditions of space.
The research, published in two companion papers in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, focuses on the unique challenges posed by long-term space travel. Pharmaceuticals, exposed to increased radiation and elevated carbon dioxide levels, may degrade over time, leading to potentially harmful byproducts. This is a significant concern, as resupply from Earth is not feasible during these extended missions.
Andrey Massarsky, PhD, lead author and senior supervising health scientist at Stantec, emphasizes the importance of this research: "This research represents an important step toward making deep space exploration safer and more achievable." The framework developed by Stantec applies established chemical risk assessment principles to spaceflight pharmaceuticals, providing a structured approach to identify and mitigate potential risks.
The five-step process includes evaluating mission use scenarios, identifying degradation products, assessing health hazards, estimating astronaut exposure, and characterizing overall risk. This methodical approach allows mission planners to efficiently evaluate multiple medications and prioritize areas requiring additional consideration. By using a combination of published studies, terrestrial data, and advanced computational modeling, the framework can assess risk even when direct spaceflight data is limited.
The second paper demonstrates the application of this approach to various medications, including antibiotics, pain treatments, neurological medications, and oral contraceptives. The results identified medications that may require further review, while others were deemed unlikely to pose health risks under expected mission scenarios. This information is invaluable for making informed decisions about pharmaceutical selection, packaging, storage, and future testing protocols.
Massarsky highlights the significance of this research: "We’re quite literally venturing into new territory here." The limited literature available for deep space exploration conditions underscores the need for further research. However, Stantec's contribution is a crucial step forward, providing a scientific foundation for the next era of exploration.
This research has far-reaching implications, not only for space exploration but also for extreme environments on Earth. It demonstrates how advanced-risk science can solve complex health challenges, paving the way for safer and more sustainable solutions in the future. As we continue to push the boundaries of human exploration, Stantec's work is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration, ensuring that we are better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
