Main lessons
- The Artemis I mission used specialized sensors and dummies (Helga and Zohar) to gather crucial information about radiation exposure in space.
- The data provides valuable insights into protecting astronauts during long-duration missions, such as a trip to Mars.
- The Orion spacecraft’s design features, including a “storm shelter,” provide up to four times more protection than less protected areas.
Scientists recently gathered crucial information about radiation exposure in space during NASA’s Artemis I mission, using specialized sensors and dummies named Helga and Zohar. This data provides valuable insight into protecting astronauts during long-duration missions, such as a trip to Mars.
The Orion spacecraft, which flew uncrewed around the Moon and returned to Earth in 2022, was equipped with instruments such as NASA’s HERA and the European Space Agency’s EAD sensors, to monitor in radiation levels constantly. These measures are essential because space radiation poses a significant threat to astronauts during extended periods beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field.
Simulation of human exposure
Sources such as galactic cosmic rays and particles released during solar flares can increase the risk of radiation sickness, cancer, central nervous system problems and degenerative diseases in astronauts. To simulate human exposure, Helga and Zohar, mannequins designed to represent female bodies, were placed inside the Orion capsule. They were fitted with sensors to measure radiation levels in their skin and internal organs. Notably, Zohar wore a radiation protective vest, while Helga wore no shield.
Instructions from data
These “radiation ghosts” have allowed researchers to understand how radiation is distributed throughout the body during different phases of space flight, particularly when crossing the Van Allen belts and during interplanetary travel. Data collected from these dummies will be crucial for refining radiation protection strategies on future missions.
The study, published in the journal Nature, also highlighted the effectiveness of Orion’s design features. Areas of the capsule intended to provide maximum shielding, including a dedicated “storm shelter” for astronauts in the event of intense space weather events such as solar flares, provided up to four times more protection than areas less armored. This discovery validates the spacecraft design for future missions.
Implications for future missions
Additionally, the Artemis I mission found that exposure to galactic cosmic rays inside Orion was about 60 percent lower than that of previous uncrewed interplanetary probes. This difference demonstrates the advantage of a spacecraft specifically designed for radiation protection. The impact of orientation during flight was also observed, with radiation levels falling by half when the spacecraft rotated 90 degrees as it crossed the inner Van Allen Belt.
These results contribute significantly to our understanding of space radiation exposure beyond the Earth’s magnetic field, which provides only limited protection. As human exploration ventures further into space, the Artemis I mission and its data analysis provide valuable insights for preserving the health of astronauts on long-duration missions, such as future lunar bases and trips to Mars.
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