Common Injuries & Illnesses

Physical Conditions

• Dry Skin / Eczema & Eye Irritation – very common in low humidity environments. Moisturiser is manufactured onboard to save weight.
• Insomnia – difficulty adapting to the Sol day cycle, spaceflight, or Zero-G/Mars-G gravity. Treated with sleep hygiene coaching, light therapy, and optional medication.
• Common Cold (“Utopia Cough”) – frequent during the first weeks due to recycled air and new microbial exposure. Treated with rest, face masks, and paracetamol. Risk is minimized through pre-flight quarantine and health screening, as well as increasing time spent among the Auronauts themselves before departure.
• Stomach Problems – passengers are pre-adapted to algae-based nutrition, but some still experience digestive issues. Managed with medical tests, short-term medication, and dietitian guidance (remote).
• Loss of Appetite – common due to Zero-G or simulated Mars gravity affecting taste, smell, and satiety.
• Headaches – extremely common. Causes vary: dehydration, sleep disruption, pressure changes, stress.
• Minor Injuries – especially from slips, bumps, elevator transitions, or adapting to rotating sections. Daily occurrences.
• Pregnancy – male passengers undergo mandatory vasectomy before the mission. If pregnancy occurs, early medical termination is mandatory. The responsible male is reprimanded.

Psychological & Behavioral Conditions

• Irritability – fairly common, often linked to fatigue, confinement, and routine. Managed with reduced duties, cabin access, therapy, and medication when needed.
• Isolation Fatigue, Space Depression, Lack of Personal Space, Cabin Fever – closely related syndromes stemming from long-term confinement. Treated with therapy, cabin privacy, structured routines, and medication.
• Panic Attacks – especially during solar storm shelter lockdowns. Managed through grounding techniques, meditation guidance, CO₂ bag breathing, cooling, isolation if possible, or sedation in severe cases. Follow-up therapy is required.
• Complete Psychotic Break – extremely rare but critical. Managed via sedation, confinement, constant observation, and psychiatric intervention. Duty restructuring follows.

Serious Medical Emergencies

Though rare due to extensive pre-flight screening, serious emergencies still occur. Examples include: kidney stones, radiation sickness, heart attack, food poisoning, stroke, appendicitis, and similar acute conditions. Utopia’s Medical Bay is equipped to stabilize nearly all emergencies until rendezvous with the Mars Orbital Station or return to the Moon.

Timeline of Expected Issues

• Week 1: Motion sickness, disorientation, minor headaches.
• Week 2–4: Insomnia, cough, headaches, common colds.
• Month 2–4: Digestive issues, psychological challenges, appetite changes.
• Month 5–6: Chronic fatigue, irritability, stress accumulation.