After six months spent in orbit, the astronauts muscle strength with age of 30 to 5 – years is equivalent to that of a man of 80 years.

U.S. researchers have recently made this discovery by analyzing samples of muscle tissue of crews on the International Space Station (ISS).

Calf muscle biopsy showed that, after half a year in space, in the lack of gravity, astronauts physical work capacity decreases by 40%.

Astronauts on the ISS are constantly exercise, with treadmills and a bike ergonomics, however, loss of physical strength is obvious, and scientists have concluded that this phenomenon represents a great risk for future Mars missions – NASA’s next major objective.

Road to Mars would take approx. 10 months and counting and offering a one year stay on Mars missions would take about three years.

Experts are to investigate further the specific health problems that occur in long stay on spacecraft in zero gravity conditions, and to seek new training methods to tackle muscular atrophy.