Space Radiation Risk: NASA’s New Data

Space Radiation Risk: NASA’s New Data

The danger posed by radiation is a major concern that must be addressed if astronauts are to carry out long-term missions beyond Earth’s orbit. NASA has collected new data using mannequins named Helga and Zohar, equipped with sensors that measure radiation levels inside the spacecraft.

Researchers have released initial measurements of radiation levels experienced inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft during its 25-day uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, which traveled around the Moon and back to Earth. Continuous radiation data was obtained using instruments, including NASA’s HERA and the European Space Agency’s EAD sensors.

“Helga and Zohar are ‘radiation phantoms’ – sophisticated mannequins that mimic the human body’s response to radiation,” said physicist Stuart George from NASA’s Space Radiation Analysis Group. He noted that these phantoms were designed to represent female bodies, as women typically exhibit higher sensitivity to radiation.

Helga and Zohar, representing human female bodies, were placed in the Orion capsule as stand-ins for astronauts. Zohar wore a radiation protection vest, while Helga had no protection.

Scientists reported that areas inside the capsule designed with the most radiation shielding provided up to four times more protection than the least shielded areas. This validated the design for future missions.

Exposure inside Orion to galactic cosmic rays—high-energy particles traveling through the universe—was about 60% lower than that measured on previous uncrewed interplanetary probes. “This measurement is vital for long stays on the Moon and future Mars missions,” George stated.

The full dataset from this study is expected to be released in the coming months. Scientists highlighted the significance of the capsule’s orientation during flight in influencing radiation exposure.

Thus, this study significantly contributes to NASA’s Artemis program goals by enhancing radiation safety knowledge.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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