European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang works during his second spacewalk in 2006. The Sun's ability to shield the solar system from harmful radiation could falter in the early 2020s, increasing the risk of such spacewalks.
Posted on 01/08/2009 10:47:00 PM PST by NutCrackerBoy
Astronauts returning to the moon could be threatened by cosmic rays as a result of the sun becoming less active, scientists have said.
The sun's ability to shield the solar system from harmful radiation could falter in the early 2020s, research from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology claimed.
At about the same time, the American space agency Nasa plans to send astronauts back to the moon.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang works during his second spacewalk in 2006. The Sun's ability to shield the solar system from harmful radiation could falter in the early 2020s, increasing the risk of such spacewalks.
We’re doomed.
Astronauts, such as the one seen here in the Apollo moon landings, could be threatened by cosmic rays if they return to the moon.
Beat me to it.
Democrats produce more wind when they're at fault for a crisis.
Al Gore.....al baby...pick up the phone....we got problems in Houston....the sun is less active....global cooling forecast.
Those thingys pack a wallop. I recall reading Apollo astronauts descriptions of seeing little flashes when their eyes were closed as cosmic particles zipped through their retinas.
The jury’s still out on the cumulative effect of longer exposure:
“The Apollo astronauts reported seeing flashes in their eyeballs, which may have been galactic cosmic rays, and there is some speculation that they may have experienced a higher incidence of cancer. However, the duration of the longest Apollo flights was less than two weeks, limiting the maximum exposure. There were only 24 such astronauts, making statistical analysis of the effects nearly impossible.
The health threat depends on the flux, energy spectrum, and nuclear composition of the rays. The flux and energy spectrum depend on a variety of factors: short-term solar weather, long-term trends (such as an apparent increase since the 1950s[4]), and position in the sun’s magnetic field. These factors are incompletely understood. The Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) was launched in 2001 in order to collect more data. Estimates are that humans unshielded in interplanetary space would receive annually roughly 400 to 900 mSv (compared to 2.4 mSv on Earth) and that a Mars mission (12 months in flight and 18 months on Mars) might expose shielded astronauts to ~500 to 1000 mSv.[4] These doses approach the 1 to 4 Sv career limits advised by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements for Low Earth orbit activities.
The quantitative biological effects of cosmic rays are poorly known, and are the subject of ongoing research. Several experiments, both in space and on Earth, are being carried out to evaluate the exact degree of danger. Experiments at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Booster accelerator revealed that the biological damage due to a given exposure is actually about half what was previously estimated: specifically, it turns out that low energy protons cause more damage than high energy ones. This is explained by the fact that slower particles have more time to interact with molecules in the body.”
Fire up the Bush/Rove/Cheney Solar Activator, and hurry it up-we’ve got only ten more days!;)
Just put Albore on the case — I’m sure he’ll have the answers and it will have something to do with fanatical “green” political proposals.....
Isn’t that the truth. LOL, the Mail really lays it on thick.
Only one of the Apollo missions received anywhere near 1 percent, and the SSB was clear that sufficient potential for safe practices in lunar travel made renewed exploration by human beings essentially safe, through mitigation. We are not, however, able with present technology to evade an exceeding of the 4 percent ceiling during a trip to Mars. Much redesign has gone into the Orion Block One to allow for a greater protection against radiation. The standard hull materials planned for Constellation vehicles is sufficient to protect against Solar Wind (mostly protons), but nothing near enough to prevent, at minimum, secondary radiation splash from impacts from Cosmic Rays. Even a notional EMF shield would need to be effective at refracting Cosmic Rays in a radius of over 800 miles.
Low Earth Orbit is afforded much protection against Solar and interstellar radiation (except while traveling through the South Atlantic Anomaly(, but REIDs of 1 percent are normal after a year on orbit. The article implies lunar travel has been made dangerous by the present (protracted) Solar Minimum, and that is correct, but not prohibitively so. It just needs to be planned for, and much more technological progress needs to continue. On average, at Solar minimum the Heliomagnetic fields contract and Cosmic Ray infall increases over Solar Max by 40 to 50 percent.
Anyone interested is encouraged to read the two most highly informative and influential reports from National Academies of Science linked directly outward under "Essential Reading" and "More Essential Reading at Lunar Pioneer.
Or better yet, have NASA launch Al into space and use his huge head, a$$ and ego as a shield between us and the sun.
I used to enjoy that show. I should see if I can find it on DVD. It would be great to find a wide screen HD version.
Hogan’s Heros was a fairly good show. Believe it or not, they shot the thing in wide screen. They show it on one of the HD channels, and the quality is first rate. Charlie’s Angles is also played early in the mornings in a wide screen HD format. It’s also a fairly good quality production value.
They have it on Amazon, happened to see it while Christmas shopping there.
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