May 29, 2009 -- Radiation detectors laced into dummy torsos that flew aboard the International Space Station bear sobering news for NASA and other agencies that want send humans to Mars: Houston, there is a problem. Cancer and other health concerns skyrocket for astronauts living beyond the protective environment of Earth's magnetic shield for periods of six months or longer, say researchers looking into the effects of radiation on the human body. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station, which orbits about 200 miles above the planet, are somewhat protected from harmful solar and cosmic radiation by Earth's magnetic field. Travelers to the moon, Mars and other destinations won't have this shielding. "The radiation we see (on the station) is more benign that what they'll see going on a lunar or a Mars mission," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy manager for the space station program. Related Content:
In addition to radiation studies under way at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, NASA and its partners on the station program have been flying torsos with embedded radiation sensors to gauge the potential damage to internal organs. Astronauts also wear dosimeters all the time and extra care is taken to monitor radiation levels while crewmembers are outside the station on spacewalks, Shireman said. The information collected so far confirms that NASA's current guidelines for assessing radiation risks are pretty much on target, said Francis Cucinotta, a doctor and researcher who heads radiation studies at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA is planning to return astronauts to the moon by 2020 and establish a base, before moving on to human missions to Mars and other destinations under a new exploration initiative known as Constellation. Cucinotta figures the agency has about five years to come up with some solutions to the radiation problem or find evidence that refutes current assessments of the risks. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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