This edited volume makes the case that a systems approach is needed for long-term spaceflight missions. Due to distance from Earth and the impossibility of resupply or rapid return, these flights will entail unprecedented autonomy on the part of the crew. This autonomy includes the need for local clinical decision support and other assistance with urgent medical concerns. The advantage of a systems approach to medical needs in human spaceflight is that it enables a systematic and repeatabl...

What will it take to send astronauts to Mars—and bring them home safely?If humanity's future lies among the stars, a voyage to Mars is our next giant step. For the astronauts brave enough to venture so far from home and into such an extreme environment, the journey will be the ultimate test of endurance—of their bodies and minds, and the materials and technologies developed to protect them. Many of the risks they'll face, both physical and psychological, remain unk...