Radiation Proves Detrimental to Future of Mars Missions
You can see the difference between a DNA molecule that has been exposed to ionizing radiation and one that has not. Credit: NASA
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With space particle radiation able to go through the human body—and which it can–it has the ability to tear strands of human DNA apart, a precious part of the human body which forms life inside a cell nucleus. But what is even worse is when damaged DNAs and human cells quit working normally, and are not able to perform on a normal basis or repair themselves. Different from the types of electromagnetic radiation we know here on Earth—X Rays, visible light, or ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer—there are two primary types of hazardous space radiation particles that can damage the human body:
**HIGH ENERGY PARTICLES–Emitted from the sun at millions of miles an hour, with Earth blocking the majority of them out.
** COSMIC RAYS–Come from undetermined galactic sources, and have a greater long-term risk for illnesses such as cancer or cataracts.
Several years ago, John Charles, a NASA analyst of the costs and risks of human space flight during the year when President Bush laid out plans to send humans back to the moon around 2015, and eventually to Mars, laid out a list of dangers involved in the missions: lack of a medical facility could turn a routine mundane injury into a life-threatening situation; “psychosocial” pressure will be high in a small group isolated for months or years; zero or reduced gravity causes bone and muscle loss; and dangerous radiation particles are abundant beyond Earth orbit.
According to Space.com, recent data by experts is demonstrating that dangerous levels of radiation in space could prevent astronauts from space missions to Mars, and limit any prolonged activity on the moon. This has added more research to an already piled-high baggage of space research, with the latest one regarding the risks that radiation poses to the astronauts and space missions. Already, astronauts are seeing white flashes when in outer space, due to cosmic rays or extremely high-energy particles—passing through their heads. And a mission to the moon or to Mars would place astronauts at an even higher risk. According to NASA, “to further investigate the risks that space radiation currently pose, the National Research Council assembled experts in space and biology together. At the present time, given current knowledge, the level of radiation astronauts would encounter “would not allow a human crew to undertake a Mars mission and might also seriously limit long-term Moon activity,” this committee notes in their new report today”.
On July 14-18, 2008, the IEEE International Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference will be located in Tucson, Arizona at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa. Featuring a technical program with eight to ten sessions of contributing papers, it describes the latest observations in radiation effects, a short course on radiation effects, a Radiation Effects Data Workship, and an Industrial Exhibit.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 1:36 am and is filed under Mission Objectives, Public Relations, Space Agency News, Technical Concerns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
