Cutaway model of the Van Allen radiation belts encircling the Earth. This radiation poses a threat to astronauts and spacecraft. You can see the ISS is in orbit at only 230 miles above Earth. Image courtesy of NASA
Half a century after the Apollo missions, research has just been published revealing the negative effects on human hearts of the radiation from and beyond the Van Allen belt. The findings of the study in the Scientific Reports Journal compared the causes of death of Apollo Mission astronauts with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) astronauts and non-flight astronauts. The results revealed that 45% of the Apollo astronauts died from cardiovascular disease, in comparison to just 9% of non-flight astronauts and 11% of LEO astronauts. (Published Article)
An obvious drawback of the research is the very small sample size, which is unavoidable as the number of people who have gone into space is very limited - approximately 550 to date. However, it does highlight a problem that space researchers have known about since the beginning of space travel and a problem that remains unsolved – how do we protect astronauts from radiation once they leave the protection of Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field?
This recent publication may be the best proof that space radiation could be a real limiting factor for future long-duration deep space missions. While there are many ways to counteract the effects of microgravity on human physiology, no feasible radiation protection has as yet been developed. Could this signal an end or at least a lengthy delay to our dreams of exploring Mars?
See also, The Guardian newspaper report entitled - Apollo deep space astronauts five times more likely to die from heart disease
An obvious drawback of the research is the very small sample size, which is unavoidable as the number of people who have gone into space is very limited - approximately 550 to date. However, it does highlight a problem that space researchers have known about since the beginning of space travel and a problem that remains unsolved – how do we protect astronauts from radiation once they leave the protection of Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field?
This recent publication may be the best proof that space radiation could be a real limiting factor for future long-duration deep space missions. While there are many ways to counteract the effects of microgravity on human physiology, no feasible radiation protection has as yet been developed. Could this signal an end or at least a lengthy delay to our dreams of exploring Mars?
See also, The Guardian newspaper report entitled - Apollo deep space astronauts five times more likely to die from heart disease
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