The Blood Cell Restoration

Center
With your in-space blood expert, Hunter Way
These are red blood cells!

They get pumped by your

heart through the body to
distribute oxygen all over.
Without these little cells, we
wouldn’t be able to live.
What happens to our blood cells when
you go to space!

Normally, around 2 million blood cells are destroyed while

you spend every second on Earth. After about 6 months in
space, however, your body will be destroying 3 million
blood cells per second! (54% more than the average
human on Earth!)
Why does this Happen?

Due to a lack of pressure being applied to the body, it takes

less pressure to move blood through the body. This means
it is incredibly easy for blood to be pumped through the
body while in space, leading to a high blood pressure being
unnecessary.
What are some Negative effects while
in space?
Due to the lack of blood pressure and blood cells bringing a
large amount of oxygen into the body at the rate your body
is used to, you will feel much more sluggish and tired. Low
blood pressure can also lead to many dangerous conditions
in space such as dizziness, constantly being cold, fainting,
blurred vision, trouble concentrating, and nausea.
What are some of the negative effects
when astronauts return?
When astronauts land on Earth, they may take months for
blood flow to return to normal. In the time it takes for the
blood pressure to stabilize, the astronaut will feel light-
headed, they will feel sick, and they will bruise easily.
How can we deal with this when we
return to Earth?
The main way astronauts combat this dilemma when they return
to Earth is by extreme amounts of physical activity and a very
consistent diet to increase blood pressure and improve how the
recovery continues. This process for recovery can take months
longer than the astronauts spent in space. To make the
transition easier, astronauts will actually begin training in space
so when they return to earth their blood pressure will begin to
equalize even more.
Is this really ethical?

While many people argue that doing this to a person is

borderline torture, many others would make the arguement
that the astronauts aren’t forced to go to space and
therefore should be allowed to got space. However, some
also believe that this isn’t a decision any person should be
allowed to make. No matter where you stand on this, the
experience of the circulatory system is intense.