New Delhi: Only 24 astronauts have ventured beyond the protection offered by the Van Allen Belts of the Earth, that trap energetic particles, 28 if you count the Polaris Dawn mission . Scientists do not know the impact of sustained exposure to a high-radiation environment on the human body, and any pioneers to Mars might require dialysis on return journey. To better understand the impact of long-duration deep-space crewed missions, NASA is executing a strategic plan called ‘know before we go’, to better understand how spaceflight to the Moon and Mars could affect the human body. Flying on the Artemis II mission in April 2026 are organ chips that can assess the impact on human health.

The organ chips simulate human organs on a chip as part of an experiment dubbed AVATAR (A Virtual A

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