Do astronauts develop serious health problems during their stays in space?
No, there are no dangerous conditions that develop because of spaceflight. However, the space environment is hazardous and the astronauts’ well-being depends on life-support systems. Weightlessness does have potentially temporary negative effects on human physiology, such as physical deconditioning and bone demineralisation. The ESA Crew Medical Support Office and its staff are responsible for avoiding such hazards and preventing the space environment from affecting the physical and mental health of the astronauts. The environment and life-support systems are closely monitored, and there is a thorough preventive and countermeasure programme.
