This was my email sent to NASA HERA team (https://www.nasa.gov/analogs/hera/about ) on 23-April-2019.
Dear Mars Explorer Team,
I wanted to give my humble perspective on "Mission to Mars - Bed Rest Study "
Recently, I came across the news about "NASA looking to pay 18 grand for 70 day sleep". I was joking with my wife that I need to apply for it and she was also joking that I may get crushed in the stampede of applicants for this temporary position.:-)
The article mentioned that in connection with Manned mission to Mars, NASA was looking at the possibility of making astronauts sleep for 2 week at a time (followed by 2 day breaks) to reduce food and oxygen consumption for the 8 month journey to Mars.
In our Hindu Epic of Ramayan, there is a character called to "Kumbakarna" who sleeps for 6 months and then be awake for next six months. If we can get some one to sleep that long for the "Manned Mars mission" and ask them to extend the sleep little further, even a 8 month duration Manned mission to Mars can be an "over night journey" from the perspective of that space traveller :-)
Jokes aside:
I don't know whether we can put someone for sleep for even 2 weeks without pushing the current known limits of Anaesthesia and its side effects.
My humble view is that "NASA should look at yoga and meditation as a more viable alternative for oxygen and food (human energy ) conservation during space flight".
There has been scientific studies that suggest that the regular practice of Yoga Breathing techniques reduce the oxygen consumption in human by about 35%. (reference 1)
As per the Yogic Science, the humans can stay in Higher meditative state ( called Samadhi) for very long time. It is said that some yogis have stayed in that meditative state for even years. Space and time does not exist in the state of Samadhi. There are different levels of Samadhi (reference 2) and it will takes years practice to get the body-mind control ( just like space mission taking years to attempt). But achieving above state of Samadhi is not something super human. Yogic tradition believes that "Being human itself is super and realising it expands the possibilities for humans".
To summarise, the proposal is that "Yoga and meditation can be used optimise body metabolism and conserve the human energy there by reducing the consumption of oxygen and food by Astronauts during prolonged space journeys ".
Of course, scientific measurements and study can be used to prove / disprove the optimisation of body metabolism. In fact its a great opportunity modern science to learn, test and explore the ancient wisdom for human advancement in space.
I am happy to provide further pointers, if there any interest on the above proposal.
with regards
Arul
Follow-up:
i. NASA as a program called NASA Solve where the public can solve some of the problems faced by NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/solve/index.html . Tried to reach out to the NASA Solve team on 24-April-2019 but the email bounced. So trying to get the correct email for the NASA Solve team.
ii. The email was again sent to Human Research Program at JSC https://www.nasa.gov/hrp on n 25-April-2019.
I am yet to receive any response from NASA. Will continue reach out to NASA and possibly SpaceX.
References:
1.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258129114_Oxygen_Consumption_Changes_With_Yoga_Practices_A_Systematic_Review
2. https://chopra.com/articles/the-3-levels-of-samadhi
3. Memory, Consciousness & Coma Discussion by Sadhguru at Harvard Medical School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7irEcQHChw
I wanted to give my humble perspective on "Mission to Mars - Bed Rest Study "
Recently, I came across the news about "NASA looking to pay 18 grand for 70 day sleep". I was joking with my wife that I need to apply for it and she was also joking that I may get crushed in the stampede of applicants for this temporary position.:-)
The article mentioned that in connection with Manned mission to Mars, NASA was looking at the possibility of making astronauts sleep for 2 week at a time (followed by 2 day breaks) to reduce food and oxygen consumption for the 8 month journey to Mars.
In our Hindu Epic of Ramayan, there is a character called to "Kumbakarna" who sleeps for 6 months and then be awake for next six months. If we can get some one to sleep that long for the "Manned Mars mission" and ask them to extend the sleep little further, even a 8 month duration Manned mission to Mars can be an "over night journey" from the perspective of that space traveller :-)
Jokes aside:
I don't know whether we can put someone for sleep for even 2 weeks without pushing the current known limits of Anaesthesia and its side effects.
My humble view is that "NASA should look at yoga and meditation as a more viable alternative for oxygen and food (human energy ) conservation during space flight".
There has been scientific studies that suggest that the regular practice of Yoga Breathing techniques reduce the oxygen consumption in human by about 35%. (reference 1)
As per the Yogic Science, the humans can stay in Higher meditative state ( called Samadhi) for very long time. It is said that some yogis have stayed in that meditative state for even years. Space and time does not exist in the state of Samadhi. There are different levels of Samadhi (reference 2) and it will takes years practice to get the body-mind control ( just like space mission taking years to attempt). But achieving above state of Samadhi is not something super human. Yogic tradition believes that "Being human itself is super and realising it expands the possibilities for humans".
To summarise, the proposal is that "Yoga and meditation can be used optimise body metabolism and conserve the human energy there by reducing the consumption of oxygen and food by Astronauts during prolonged space journeys ".
Of course, scientific measurements and study can be used to prove / disprove the optimisation of body metabolism. In fact its a great opportunity modern science to learn, test and explore the ancient wisdom for human advancement in space.
I am happy to provide further pointers, if there any interest on the above proposal.
with regards
Arul
Follow-up:
i. NASA as a program called NASA Solve where the public can solve some of the problems faced by NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/solve/index.html . Tried to reach out to the NASA Solve team on 24-April-2019 but the email bounced. So trying to get the correct email for the NASA Solve team.
ii. The email was again sent to Human Research Program at JSC https://www.nasa.gov/hrp on n 25-April-2019.
I am yet to receive any response from NASA. Will continue reach out to NASA and possibly SpaceX.
References:
1.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258129114_Oxygen_Consumption_Changes_With_Yoga_Practices_A_Systematic_Review
2. https://chopra.com/articles/the-3-levels-of-samadhi
3. Memory, Consciousness & Coma Discussion by Sadhguru at Harvard Medical School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7irEcQHChw
