Bone and muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, vision impairment -- these are just a few of the challenges space travelers face on long-duration missions, even before considering the psychological toll of isolation.

As US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams prepare to return home after nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), some of the health risks they've faced are well-documented and managed, while others remain a mystery.

These dangers will only grow as humanity pushes deeper into the solar system, including to Mars, demanding innovative solutions to safeguard the future of space exploration.

Despite the attention their mission has received, Wilmore and Williams' nine-month stay is "par for the course," said Rihana Bokhari, an assistant professor at the Center for Space Medicine at Baylor College.

ISS missions typically last six months, but some astronauts stay up to a year, and researchers are confident in their ability to maintain astronaut health for that duration.

Most people know that lifting weights builds muscle and strengthens bones,........

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