Ahead of an extended stay on the lunar surface, scientists warn of a dangerous combination of low gravity, cosmic radiation, lunar dust, isolation and possible damage to body systems.
NASA's Artemis program is not intended to simply return humans to the Moon for a symbolic visit, but to lay the foundations for a sustained human presence on its surface. After the Artemis I mission tested the SLS launcher and the Orion spacecraft without a crew, the manned Artemis II mission was launched on April 1, 2026, designed to test whether the survival, navigation, thermal protection, and deep-space operation systems are indeed safe for humans. According to NASA's long-term vision, the knowledge accumulated in these missions should enable the establishment of a permanent lunar base in the future, and later also help prepare manned journeys to Mars.
But life on the moon is expected to be a far cry from the heroic image of "flags and footprints." An article published by Professor Damian Bailey of the University of South Wales in The Conversation Explains that an extended stay on the Moon will expose the crew to what is known as the "space exposome" - the set of environmental stresses that act together on the human body outside Earth. These include gravity about one-sixth that of Earth, chronic exposure to cosmic radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations, toxic lunar dust, social isolation, disrupted sleep cycles, and prolonged confinement.
One of the main risks is radiation. Unlike astronauts on the International Space Station, who are still largely protected by Earth’s magnetic field, crews on the moon will be exposed to much more space radiation. Such exposure can damage DNA, disrupt immune system activity, and also affect the brain and cardiovascular system. In addition, the low gravity changes the way blood, oxygen, and fluids move through the body, potentially disrupting the proper supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain over time.
The researchers emphasize that it is not right to examine each organ separately. Instead, the human body must be understood as one integrated system, in which changes in the heart, blood vessels, muscles, bones, immune system and metabolism affect each other. This is also what makes the risk particularly complex: astronauts will not always immediately feel that something is wrong. Some physiological changes may develop slowly, and only become apparent months or years later as a real problem. For this reason, NASA attaches great importance to long-term physiological monitoring and early risk reduction strategies.
To cope with the extreme environment, a whole array of countermeasures will be required. Physical activity will remain a cornerstone, as it already is on the space station, but on the moon it will be necessary to design new training systems adapted to partial gravity. Nutrition will also take a central place, not only to maintain muscles and bones but also to strengthen the immune system and cope with the effects of radiation. The article argues that in the future, personalized menus may be needed for each astronaut, instead of a uniform diet for everyone.
Other solutions already being considered include creating artificial gravity using short-radius centrifuges, which could temporarily stress the body and help stabilize the cardiovascular and brain systems. At the same time, radiation protection will rely on several layers: shielding of residential buildings, perhaps even using the lunar soil itself, early warning systems for solar storms, and mission planning that minimizes exposure at dangerous times. Wearable sensors and advanced data analysis may also enable early detection of warning signs, before a minor physiological malfunction becomes a mission crisis.
Along with all the difficulties, the author also mentions the enormous potential for inspiration: watching the Earth from a still lunar horizon, working under perpetually black skies, and turning the Moon into the first human experimental laboratory for life outside Earth. But his conclusion is sobering: the Moon is not just a destination, but a biological testbed. If humanity learns how to keep humans healthy, resilient, and efficient on the lunar surface, it will have taken a crucial step toward becoming a true spacefaring civilization.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
