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Diabetes and Space Travel

Diabetes and Space Travel

08-06-2025

Why in the News?  

  1. A new space mission called Axiom-4, expected to launch on 10th June 2025.
  2. It will include a special research project. This project is important because it will study how to help diabetic people travel to space in the future.

Why is This Study Needed?

  1. At present, people with insulin-dependent diabetes are not allowed to become astronauts.
  2. This is because space conditions, especially microgravity (no gravity), make it hard to control blood sugar levels.
  3. Considering this, scientists are trying to find ways to make space travel safe for diabetic people.

What is Special about the Axiom-4 Mission?

  1. Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), organized by Axiom Space.
  2. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Florida.
  3. The astronauts will spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS.
  4. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and other astronauts on this mission will take part in a new study on diabetes.
    1. He will serve as the pilot. He will be the first ISRO astronaut to go to the ISS.
  5. The study is called Suite Ride.
  6. It is being led by Dr. Mohammad Fityan, a doctor from Burjeel Medical City in Dubai.
  7. His hospital is working with Axiom Space for this project.
  8. The astronauts will:
    1. They wear Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) to measure blood sugar levels in real time.
    2. This data will be sent back to Earth so that scientists can watch the changes.
    3. Collect blood samples to check the accuracy of the CGMs.
    4. It will carry two kinds of insulin pens, one kept cold (refrigerated) and other kept at room temperature (ambient) to see if they still work in space.
  9. This is not the first time astronauts have used CGMs in space. Earlier studies only focused on collecting blood sugar data. However, this study is more detailed. It will examine:
    1. If CGMs give correct readings in space.
    2. If insulin pens still work in space.
    3. How microgravity affects the human body and blood sugar levels.

How is this helpful on Earth?

  1. This study is not just for future astronauts. It can help people on Earth too.
  2. People who are very sick and cannot move much (like patients in bed for a long time) have similar body changes as astronauts in space.
  3. The information from space can help doctors understand how diabetes works in such people.

Why Microgravity Matters?

  1. In space, there is no gravity. This changes how the body works like:
    1. Body fluids move differently.
    2. Organs behave in new ways.
    3. Scientists can study how the body reacts in these new conditions.

Conclusion

This research on the Axiom-4 mission is a big step forward. It may help diabetic people become astronauts in the future. It may also help doctors take better care of diabetic patients on Earth. It shows how space science can help solve health problems for everyone.

Diabetes 

What is Diabetes?

  1. Diabetes is a non-communicable disease (NCD). This means it does not spread from one person to another. It happens when:
    1. The pancreas does not make enough insulin, or
    2. The body cannot use insulin properly.
  2. Insulin is a hormone. It helps control the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
  3. When there is not enough insulin, or it doesn’t work well, blood sugar becomes too high.
  4. If diabetes is not treated properly, it can cause serious health problems like:
    1. Heart disease
    2. Kidney failure
    3. Vision loss
  5. With good care, diabetes can be managed and people can live healthy lives.

Types of Diabetes:

  1. There are mainly three types of diabetes:
  1. Type 1 Diabetes:
    1. About:
      1. The body’s immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
      2. It usually starts in children or young adults, but it can happen at any age.
    2. Cause: Exact cause is unknown, but it may be linked to genetics or infections.
    3. Treatment: People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day.
  2. Type 2 Diabetes:
    1. About:
      1. The body does not use insulin well (insulin resistance), or the pancreas does not make enough insulin.
      2. Usually develops in adults, but is now seen in children too due to obesity and poor lifestyle.
    2. Cause:
      1. Linked to obesity, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, and family history.
    3. Treatment:
      1. Managed with diet, exercise, medicines, and sometimes insulin.

 

Ensure IAS Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the significance of the Axiom-4 space mission in advancing medical research for diabetes management in space and on Earth. How can space-based health experiments contribute to public healthcare innovation? (250 Words)

Ensure IAS MCQ:

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4):

  1. It is the first mission to use Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) in space.
  2. It involves a study called “Suite Ride” to understand how diabetes affects astronauts in microgravity.
  3. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who will serve as the pilot, is the first ISRO astronaut to go to the International Space Station (ISS).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
 A) 1 and 2 only
 B) 2 and 3 only
 C) 1 and 3 only
 D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: CGMs have been used in space earlier, but the Ax-4 mission is conducting a more detailed study than before.
  • Statement 2 is correct: The mission includes a study called Suite Ride, which will examine how diabetes and insulin work in microgravity.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first ISRO astronaut to go to the ISS, and he will serve as the pilot of the Ax-4 mission.

 

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