Gene therapy may help astronauts going to Mars resist deadly radiation

An international group of researchers has come up with a new plan to help astronauts survive high-level radiation in space – and even get them to Mars without the deadly exposure expected during three years of space travel.

“From the first day you show up, the known hazard of flying in space is radiation,” American astronaut Commander Scott Kelly told the Guardian.

Researchers with the artificial intelligence company Insilico Medicine Inc who teamed up with international scientists say discoveries in gene therapy and drug creation could be beneficial to future astronauts on deep space missions.

It is estimated that a return trip from Mars would expose astronauts to radiation doses of 600 mSv – a large proportion of the lifetime cap Nasa sets for space travellers of 800-1200 mSv.