How does spaceflight affect astronauts' brains? There's good news and bad

In this illustration, NASA astronauts drill into the Mars’ subsurface. The agency is creating new maps that show where ice is most likely to be easily accessible to future astronauts.

Space travel is incredibly demanding on the human body, subjecting astronauts to a range of challenges: exposure to intense radiation, the effects of altered gravity, which can cause bone density loss and muscle wasting, and the toll of sleep deprivation compounded by high-pressure working conditions. The job is not for the faint of heart.

How these factors combine to impact cognitive function — both in the short and long term — remains unclear. This is a multilayered question, potentially affecting not only astronaut health but also mission success, because spaceflyers must perform complex tasks requiring a high degree of precision, in an environment in which even minor errors could lead to serious consequences.