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A Strategy to Safely Live and Work in the Space Radiation EnvironmentThe goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency and the Space Radiation Project is to ensure that astronauts can safely live and work in the space radiation environment. The space radiation environment poses both acute and chronic risks to crew health and safety, but unlike some other aspects of space travel, space radiation exposure has clinically relevant implications for the lifetime of the crew. The term safely means that risks are sufficiently understood such that acceptable limits on mission, post-mission and multi-mission consequences (for example, excess lifetime fatal cancer risk) can be defined. The Space Radiation Project strategy has several elements. The first element is to use a peer-reviewed research program to increase our mechanistic knowledge and genetic capabilities to develop tools for individual risk projection, thereby reducing our dependency on epidemiological data and population-based risk assessment. The second element is to use the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory to provide a ground-based facility to study the understanding of health effects/mechanisms of damage from space radiation exposure and the development and validation of biological models of risk, as well as methods for extrapolation to human risk. The third element is a risk modeling effort that integrates the results from research efforts into models of human risk to reduce uncertainties in predicting risk of carcinogenesis, central nervous system damage, degenerative tissue disease, and acute radiation effects. To understand the biological basis for risk, we must also understand the physical aspects of the crew environment. Thus the fourth element develops computer codes to predict radiation transport properties, evaluate integrated shielding technologies and provide design optimization recommendations for the design of human space systems. Understanding the risks and determining methods to mitigate the risks are keys to a successful radiation protection strategy.
Document ID
20080029373
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Corbin, Barbara J.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Sulzman, Frank M.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Krenek, Sam
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
February 14, 2006
Subject Category
Space Radiation
Meeting Information
Meeting: Space Technology and Applications International
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Country: United States
Start Date: February 14, 2006
End Date: February 15, 2006
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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