Ionising radiation- cancer for astronauts

Space radiation could make planned Mars trip a suicide mission

Smart Planet By Andrew Nusca | Sep 16, 2009 “.…………….the galactic radiation that barrels through the solar system poses a significant health risk.

The radiation, which is made up of protons, gamma rays and cosmic rays, can slice through DNA molecules when it passes through living cells. The resulting damage can make cells behave erratically and lead to cancer………..NASA weighs radiation danger in units of cancer risk. A healthy 40-year-old non-smoking American male stands a (whopping) 20% chance of eventually dying from cancer. That’s if he stays on Earth. If he travels to Mars, the risk goes up…….The odds are even worse for women, he adds. “Because of breasts and ovaries, the risk to female astronauts is nearly double the risk to males.”…………http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/space-radiation-makes-planned-mars-trip-a-suicide-mission/967/

September 18, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, environment | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive