New studies published on Tuesday reveal that space tourists experience some of the same body changes as astronauts who spend months in orbit, shedding light on the health effects of space travel for those who don't undergo extensive astronaut training.

The research, which includes findings on four space tourists, offers insight into how individuals adapt to weightlessness and space radiation. These studies, conducted as part of a series examining the health effects of space travel down to the molecular level, provide valuable information for preparing humans for space exploration, according to the researchers.

Allen Liu, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Michigan, who was not involved in the research, emphasized the importance of the findings, stating, "This will allow us to be better prepared when we're sending humans into space for whatever reason."

While NASA and other space agencies have extensively studied the impact of space travel on astronauts, including yearlong residents of the International Space Station, less attention has been paid to space tourists. With the first tourist visit to the space station occurring in 2001 and opportunities for private space travel expanding in recent years, understanding the effects of spaceflight on tourists has become increasingly important.

The research was conducted during a three-day chartered flight in 2021, known as Inspiration4, which provided researchers with a unique opportunity to examine how the body reacts and adapts to spaceflight. Susan Bailey, a radiation expert at Colorado State University, who was part of the research team, explained that during the flight, the four passengers on the SpaceX flight collected samples of blood, saliva, skin, and more. Subsequent analysis of these samples revealed a wide range of shifts in cells and changes to the immune system. Most of these changes stabilized in the months after the passengers returned home, and the research indicated that the short-term spaceflight didn't pose significant health risks.

Chris Mason, a researcher and co-author from Weill Cornell Medicine, noted, "This is the first time we've had a cell-by-cell examination of a crew when they go to space."

The papers, published in Nature journals and now part of a database, cover various aspects of the impact of spaceflight on the skin, kidneys, and immune system. Afshin Beheshti, a researcher with the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, who contributed to the research, expressed optimism that these findings could lead to the development of strategies to counteract the negative effects of space travel.