Hibernation Tech for Space: Can Humans Sleep to Mars?

Did you know that keeping a crew awake on a seven month trip to Mars requires over 10 000 kilograms of food and water alone? This massive weight is the biggest obstacle for engineers trying to reach the red planet. If explorers could simply sleep through the journey, the entire design of spacecraft would change. You might imagine a crew waking up refreshed as the ship touches Martian dust but the reality is much more complex than science fiction suggests. Engineers are currently looking into synthetic torpor to solve these logistical problems - this state is a deep sleep where the body slows down its processes to save energy. While bears and squirrels do this naturally, your body does not have a hibernation switch to flip. Researchers are trying to find a way to safely lower your core temperature and slow your heart rate for months at a time.