Space Radiation Hazards on Human Missions to the Moon and Mars

Details Space Radiation Hazards on Human Missions to the Moon and Mars Space Radiation Hazards on Human Missions to the Moon and Mars

Dec 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agufmsh53c..01t&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2004, abstract #SH53C-01

Physics

7514 Energetic Particles (2114), 2104 Cosmic Rays, 2114 Energetic Particles, Heliospheric (7514), 2116 Energetic Particles, Planetary, 2118 Energetic Particles, Solar

Scientific paper

One of the most significant health risks for humans exploring Earth's moon and Mars is exposure to the harsh space radiation environment. Crews on these exploration missions will be exposed to a complex mixture of very energetic particles. Chronic exposures to the ever-present background galactic cosmic ray (GCR) spectrum consisting of various fluxes of all naturally - occurring chemical elements are combined with infrequent, possibly acute exposures to large fluxes of solar energetic particles, consisting of protons and heavier particles. The GCR environment is primarily a concern for stochastic effects, such as the induction of cancer, with subsequent mortality in many cases, and late deterministic effects, such as cataracts and possible damage to the central nervous system. An acute radiation syndrome response ("radiation sickness") is not possible from the GCR environment since the organ doses are well below levels of concern. Unfortunately, the actual risks of cancer induction and mortality for the very important high-energy heavy ion component of the GCR spectrum are essentially unknown. The sporadic occurrence of extremely large solar energetic particle events, usually associated with intense solar activity, is also a major concern for Lunar and Mars missions because of the possible manifestation of acute effects from the accompanying high doses of such radiations, especially acute radiation syndrome effects such as nausea, emesis, hemorrhaging or possibly even death. Large solar energetic particle events can also contribute significantly to crew risks from cancer mortality. In this presentation an overview of current estimates of critical organ doses and equivalent doses for crews of Lunar and Mars bases and on those on transits between Earth and Mars is presented. Possible methods of mitigating these radiation exposures by shielding, thereby reducing the associated health risks to crews, are also described.

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