10-09-2014, 12:05 AM
Hmm.
Quote:"Therapeutic torpor has been around in theory since the 1980s, and really since 2003 has been a staple for critical care trauma patients in hospitals," said SpaceWorks Enterprises aerospace engineer Mark Schaffer. But currently, patients are only induced for a period of up to one week. Further studies will need to extend this sleep period significantly.I wonder if that extension is necessary. If torpor can be induced for a week or so, then the crew could sleep in shifts, waking every week for a few days to take care of the other sleepers. The subjective travel time could be halved, or reduced to a third, if this torpor can be induced repeatedly without ill effects.