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Space travel’s inevitable cancer danger

Astronauts can endure this radiation for only a limited time before serious
problems such as cancer begin cropping up…..

For Manned Deep-Space Missions, Radiation Is Biggest Hurdle
by Mike Wall, SPACE.com Senior WriterDate: 20 December 2012  High
radiation levels beyond Earth orbit pose the biggest challenge to
human exploration of deep-space destinations, experts say.

With current spacecraft technology, astronauts can cruise through deep
space for a maximum of one year or so before accumulating a
dangerously high radiation dose, researchers say. As a result, many
intriguing solar system targets remain off-limits to human exploration
at the moment.

“There is an equivalent of a Mach 1 — a sound barrier — that exists,
in terms of galactic cosmic radiation,” Alvin Drew, manager of NASA’s
Deep Space Habitat Project, said Wednesday (Dec. 19) during a
presentation with the agency’s Future In-Space Operations working
group…..
Earth is pummeled relentlessly by galactic cosmic rays — fast-moving
charged particles blasted into space by distant star explosions and
other dramatic events.

The planet’s atmosphere and magnetic field deflect most of these
subatomic wrecking balls, so those of us on Earth’s surface don’t
worry too much about them.

But for astronauts cruising through space — especially deep space,
beyond Earth’s protective magnetosphere — it’s a different story. They
can endure this radiation for only a limited time before serious
problems such as cancer begin cropping up…..
http://www.space.com/18980-radiation-manned-exploration-deep-space.html

December 22, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, health