There are a few key reasons why children typically do not go to space on missions with astronauts. The main considerations have to do with health and safety, as well as the training required for space travel. Let’s explore the issues in more detail.
Physical Health Concerns
The human body goes through some significant changes when exposed to microgravity in space. Some key effects include:
- Bone and muscle loss – In the weightless environment of space, bones and muscles no longer have to support the body’s weight. This causes them to weaken and begin deteriorating.
- Fluid shifts – Body fluids like blood start shifting toward the upper body with no gravity to pull them down. This can affect things like vision and blood pressure.
- Reduced immune function – Studies have shown that immune systems are suppressed in microgravity, making astronauts more susceptible to illness.
- Impacts to growth and development – There are concerns about how weightlessness could affect growth, especially for children whose bodies are still developing.
These physiological changes pose risks that are generally deemed unacceptable for children, whose bodies are still maturing. There are concerns that extended spaceflight could stunt growth or otherwise cause long-term health consequences. More research is needed to fully understand these impacts.
Mental/Emotional Concerns
In addition to physical effects, there are also mental and emotional factors to consider with children in space. A few key ones include:
- Stress – Even trained astronauts can find space travel mentally taxing. The enclosed environment, homesickness, and fearfulness could be extremely stressful for kids.
- Isolation – Missions often involve months of isolation from family, friends and the comforts of home. Children may have difficulty coping with this.
- Boredom – Spacecraft have limited entertainment options and recreational activities. Kids may struggle with boredom on long missions.
- Developmental needs – Younger children need social interaction, educational stimulation, and room to play/move around to develop properly. Space travel limits these needs.
Overall, the confinement and isolation of space travel poses mental/emotional challenges that most children are not equipped to handle. These factors can be taxing even for astronauts; children would likely struggle.
Safety Concerns
Safety is another major barrier for children in space. Key risks include:
- Radiation exposure – Spacecraft beyond Earth’s protective atmosphere expose astronauts to heightened radiation levels that accumulate over time. This poses cancer and other health risks, especially for small bodies.
- Reduced bone strength – As mentioned, bones deteriorate rapidly in microgravity. Weakened bones put children at risk of fracture and injury, especially upon return to Earth’s gravity.
- Equipment hazards – Spacecraft and spacesuits are designed for adult bodies. Improperly fitted suits could endanger children through factors like limited mobility and impaired vision.
- Accident risk – Space travel always carries risks from accidents, equipment failures, debris impacts, and other hazards. Children may struggle to quickly react to emergencies.
With their developing bodies and limited ability to follow safety procedures, children face heightened risks in the unforgiving environment of space. Most space agencies deem these risks unacceptable for children.
Training Requirements
Becoming an astronaut requires extensive training to acquire the skills needed for spaceflight. Areas include:
- Operating complex spacecraft systems
- Performing science experiments
- Repairing equipment
- responding to emergencies
- Fitness regimens
- Robotics
- Living in isolated, confined spaces
This training typically takes 2+ years for adult astronaut candidates who already have advanced STEM degrees. Children lack the educational background and discipline needed to complete the rigorous preparations required for spaceflight. While some basic training could be tailored to children, they cannot acquire and apply the full range of knowledge and skills necessary for safe, useful space missions.
Instances of Children in Space
While unusual, there have been a few cases of children going to space. These include:
Gherman Titov’s Son (1962)
During Vostok 2 in August 1962, Gherman Titov became the second human to orbit Earth. His callsign was “Eagle”, which led to a joke that the spaceship also carried “Eaglet” – Titov’s unborn son, as his wife was pregnant at the time. While just an amusing anecdote, some consider it the first child in space.
Space Tourists
A few wealthy civilians have paid for trips to the International Space Station through space tourism programs. For example, the Space Adventures company arranged flights for:
- Lance Bass (N Sync singer), planned 2002 flight at age 23
- Mark Shuttleworth (tech entrepreneur), 2002 flight at age 28
- Gregory Olsen (scientist), 2005 flight at age 60
- Anousheh Ansari (telecom entrepreneur), 2006 flight at age 40
- Richard Garriott (video game developer), 2008 flight at age 46
- Guy Laliberté (Cirque du Soleil founder), 2009 flight at age 49
While not children per se, their flights demonstrate that with enough funding, space trips can be arranged without typical NASA training. However, the physical effects and risks still apply. Medical waivers may have been required. Commercial options have essentially ended after NASA retired the space shuttles used.
Iran’s Space Monkey
In 2013, Iran claimed to have successfully launched a live monkey into suborbital space and recovered it alive. While not a manned orbital flight, it demonstrated Iran’s potential capability to send humans, potentially even children on brief suborbital flights. However, the monkey space race stemmed from Cold War-era militarization of space, representing questionable motives.
Youths on Shuttle Missions
While no children went to space on NASA’s flagship space shuttles, some older youths participated in missions:
- Barbara Morgan, STS-118 (2007) – Participated as backup teacher to Christa McAuliffe who died aboard Challenger in 1986. Morgan was 55 during her flight.
- Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, STS-131 (2010) – A 34-year-old high school science teacher selected as a NASA Educator Astronaut.
- Joseph Acaba, STS-119 (2009) & STS-104 (2004) – A 32-year-old educator selected as a NASA Educator Astronaut, prior to completion of teacher training.
These individuals were exceptions selected for NASA’s educator astronaut program, undergoing full astronaut training for safe participation.
Potential Future Opportunities
While rare today, some opportunities may emerge for children to participate in space travel:
- Suborbital/brief flights – With development of private suborbital space planes, short duration weightless flights may become available to the public, including children.
- Orbital space hotels – Proposed private space stations could offer accommodation for space tourists including potentially families with children for brief stays in orbit.
- Moon/Mars missions – Long duration missions to establish bases on the Moon or Mars could involve families with children born off-Earth during the mission.
- Medical studies – Limited pediatric studies on space stations may aim to better understand microgravity’s impacts on children’s growth and development.
- Stowaways – While forbidden and dangerous, stowaway children have alleged to have snuck aboard orbital missions, though not officially confirmed.
However, significant barriers remain regarding health effects, training, and the rationale for sending children to space. Any future opportunities would require mitigating these risks with thorough crew selection and preparation.
Conclusion
In summary, there are substantial obstacles preventing children from going to space today, including:
- Physical effects of microgravity that can impair growth and development
- Extreme mental and emotional stress of spaceflight conditions
- Safety concerns from radiation, injury risks, and limited abilities
- Inability to complete required astronaut training programs
While children have occasionally reached space through novelty missions and space tourism, these occurrences are rare exceptions. Potential opportunities may emerge in future private spaceflight, but significant work remains to make space travel safe and worthwhile for children compared to adult astronauts. With numerous challenges and risks posed, today’s space agencies largely agree: kids don’t belong in space, at least not yet.