ASTRONAUTS' HEALTH MUST COME FIRST

As nations reach for the stars, risks like radiation exposure and mental health make investing in space medicine a global priority

- BY DR FARHAN M. ASRAR | Special to Gulf News

Space is no longer just a distant dream — it’s swiftly becoming our next great frontier.

Several nations are sending astronauts into space, including the Axiom 4 mission, which will carry the first astronauts from India, Hungary, and Poland to the International Space Station — each becoming their country's second person in space. The launch was postponed yesterday due to a technical issue.

Other nations such as Pakistan are also advancing their human space missions with their soon to be selected astronaut, announced as the first foreign national that will enter and conduct experiments on the Chinese Space station. Not only nations, but developments involving the private sector are redefining space exploration with private citizens flying on SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.