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The FASEB Journal, Vol 6, 2338-2343, Copyright © 1992 by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

REVIEWS

Radiation burdens for humans on prolonged exomagnetospheric voyages

FD Moore
Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.

The severity of radiation exposure for astronauts outside the magnetosphere poses a critical unanswered question bearing on the use of manned vehicles in extended exploration of the solar system (moon, Mars). Such prolonged exomagnetospheric voyages (1-3 years) enter a radiologic environment more severe than that of low earth orbit, an annual dose equivalent in the range of 0.3-0.5 Sv (30-50 rem), and a lifetime excess cancer fatality risk of 3-5% due to low linear-energy- transfer components of galactic cosmic radiation alone. To this calculus must be added estimates for high-atomic-number, high-energy particles, the probability of solar particle events, and the limited effectiveness of shielding. For a 3-year Mars voyage these could elevate the dose equivalent to 1.5-2.25 Sv (150-225 rem) total (0.5- 0.75 Sv [50-75 rem] annual) and risks to 5-9% excess cancer fatality. Both the mission (civilian scientific research) and the alternatives (unmanned robotic devices) enter the policy decision here. This paper presents a brief review of pertinent physical and biological data and of research urgently needed before reaching a decision on this question.


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NASA--has its biological groundwork for a trip to Mars improved?
FASEB J, March 1, 2007; 21(3): 643 - 646.
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Copyright © 1992 by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.