Upon the release of the critically acclaimed movie "Passengers", there's been a lot of talk not only on the movie forums but also on the scientific end of the table. The plot of the movie seemed to be far-fetched science-fiction where the major characters are put in hibernation inbound an automated spacecraft for a 120-year journey to other planet. At the moment, real scientist are working right now on how to put humans into a hibernation-like state for long space travels.
According to The Next Web, the movie shows a commercial space travel industry that give the public an idea about going out into space that can be as easy as booking a flight or sailing on a cruise. The movie also shows the growing dependence of humans to technology where Jim and Aurora played by Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence respectively is aboard a fully automated spaceship.
Modern era's space race and the rise of sci-fi movies about space travel may now provoke certain someone to pioneer space travel developments like SpaceWorks. SpaceWorks is a private company funded by NASA to research hibernation for deep space travels as reported by Forbes. The Atlanta-based company is headed by Dr. John Bradford which said that the technology in the movie "Passengers" exist somewhere between science fiction and reality.
SpaceWorks are currently conducting research about animal hibernation and ways how to induce them to human beings. The foundation for the technology used in the movie is the same as what they have been investigating which is called therapeutic hypothermia. It is now used in the medical field and are practiced in traumatic brain injuries.
"According to a NASA-funded study, keeping astronauts unconscious almost halves the haul of any given trip. When a crew is placed in an inactive state, many of the ship's subsystems can be removed and the space and equipment needed for humans significantly cut down," explained a Gizmodo article about cryogenic sleep. With at least 120 billion dollars being devoted into commercial space travel each year, space travel will now be readily available in the blink of an eye.
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