Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
The radiation exposure of crew members on space missions in LEO and GEO is evaluated in a general review. The radiation environment is characterized, taking the trapped radiation belts, solar flares, Galactic and solar cosmic rays, and secondary radiation into account and emphasizing the increased dosages produced by transient phenomena such as solar flares. The biological effects of space radiation in the individual cells, on the body as a whole, and on critical organs are summarized, and the exposure limits and shielding specifications (for spacecraft and for EVA suits) currently used by US mission planners are reviewed. For GEO, 4-g/sq cm Al-equivalent shielding is considered adequate under normal conditions, making EVA in this volatile environment questionable; for anomalously large solar flares, emergency shelter within 10-g/sq cm walls or the capability to retreat to a lower orbit is necessary.
Keywords:
MAN/SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SUPPORT
Type:
IAF PAPER 83-256
,
Space safety and rescue 1982-1983, including worldwide disaster response, rescue and safety employing space-borne systems; Sep 27, 1982 - Oct 02, 1982; Paris; France
Format:
text
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