By: Joeri Vlemings
5/10 / 14 – 08u24 Source: news.discovery.com 
© Space Works.
NASA looks for some time the possibility of a manned space flight to Mars and had also examine whether it can be much cheaper. So the crew would be artificial to be held during the flight of 180 days. In a ‘hibernation’ That would be up to 180 tons of weight can be saved.
The deep sleep, known under the term torpor, significantly reduces the metabolic functions of the astronauts. Torpor also occurs in a natural way for, in the case of hypothermia. “Therapeutic torpor has been around since 1980 and is important for the treatment of patients in critical condition in hospitals, especially since 2003,” said aerospace engineer Mark Schaffer of Space Works, which carried out the study. “In most large hospitals there are procedures for therapeutic hypothermia applied to patients to hold until they can get that they need treatment. Them alive”
From one week to six year hypothermia
In combination with intravenous feeding the crew of a flight to Mars could be put into hibernation. Such a trip lasts or in the best case 180 days, one way. Up to now, patients are kept in torporstaat up to about a week. “For manned Mars flights so we have to drive up to 90 to 180 days,” said Schaffer.
The system would mean a great financial saving. The astronauts would be smaller spacecrafts need with fewer amenities. No kitchen, no fitness equipment, less water, food and clothing. One of the designs consists of a spinning habitat with low gravity to overcome. The bone and muscle loss
Space Works calculated that there are five times less pressure volume would be needed for a crew in hibernation and three times less required weight, including food and water. In total, the basic requirements for such torporvlucht 400 drop to about 220 tons. A serious thus saving.
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