Risk of Bone Fracture due to Spaceflight-induced Changes to Bone

Exposure to altered gravity causes skeletal changes, which can result in compromised bone strength during and after spaceflight, increasing the risk of fracture. Bone fracture in-mission depends on expected loads and degree of skeletal fragility. Countermeasures such as exercise, adequate nutrition, and medications are needed in order to prevent demineralization, especially during long-duration missions such […]

Mar 11, 2025 - 21:42

Risk of Bone Fracture due to Spaceflight-induced Changes to Bone

1 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

astronaut swaps media that nourishes bone samples inside the Life Science Glovebox

NASA astronaut and Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Jessica Meir swaps media that nourishes bone samples inside the Life Science Glovebox located in JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Kibo laboratory module. The experiment compares the microgravity-exposed samples to magnetically levitated samples on Earth for insights into bone ailments such as osteoporosis.

NASA

Exposure to altered gravity causes skeletal changes, which can result in compromised bone strength during and after spaceflight, increasing the risk of fracture. Bone fracture in-mission depends on expected loads and degree of skeletal fragility. Countermeasures such as exercise, adequate nutrition, and medications are needed in order to prevent demineralization, especially during long-duration missions such as planetary and deep-space exploration. The long-term impact of bone changes due to lunar and interplanetary spaceflight are also uncharacterized, increasing risk of fracture during these future missions.