ESA Studies 25% Metabolism Torpor for Mars Crews as Bear Biology Suggests Lower Supply Needs
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jul 22
ESA Studies 25% Metabolism Torpor for Mars Crews as Bear Biology Suggests Lower Supply Needs
1 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jul 22
Summary
ESA is evaluating whether astronauts on Mars missions could be placed in a torpor-like state, using bear hibernation as a model for cutting metabolism and reducing mission consumables.
A 2021 ESA concept study estimated a return Mars mission needs roughly 30 kilograms of food, water and other supplies per astronaut per day, making metabolic suppression attractive for shrinking habitat volume and logistics.
Bear data underpin the idea because large mammals can hibernate for months with metabolism near 25% of normal while losing only limited muscle and bone and without a drastic drop in body temperature.
No agency has induced torpor in humans: ESA and NASA-backed work remains at feasibility-study stage, and researchers say the nearer test bed is likely intensive-care medicine rather than spaceflight.
The next marker is whether ESA or NASA funds animal experiments and then human trials; until then, bears remain proof the state may be survivable, not a reproducible method.