![Space exploration inevitably conjures up the image of an astronaut in a space suit – Chris Hadfield, perhaps, or Neil Armstrong. But this is far […]](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/News-image-01-300x169.jpg "Dangerous Radiation Limits Space Missions")
Space exploration inevitably conjures up the image of an astronaut in a space suit – Chris Hadfield, perhaps, or Neil Armstrong. But this is far from reality at the moment, while NASA continues to hope for a manned mission to Mars new research has revealed yet another hurdle to overcome before lengthy deep-space missions become a reality: cosmic ray radiation.
Cosmic rays are nothing new, but their recent intensity is abnormal. According to a paper recently published in the journal Space Weather, the sun has been strikingly inactive since 2006. For the last several decades, the sun’s activity followed a predictable 11-year cycle, with periods of increased activity and periods of inactivity. Recently, however, the pattern has shifted dramatically: according to professor Nathan Schwadron, lead author of the paper, the sun is “now in a state not observed for almost 100 years.” This prolonged solar inactivity has not only led to low densities in solar winds, and low magnetic field strengths, but has also allowed levels of intense radiation to reach increasingly dangerous levels in outer space.
As the level of cosmic ray radiation increases, so does the danger to astronauts, especially those on extended, deep-space missions. Radiation sickness, cancer, and organ failure are all possible consequences of over-exposure to cosmic radiation, which means that the allowable days in space for astronauts is dropping.
Will this preclude lengthy deep-space missions? Perhaps not – but it is clear that radiation levels are continuing to rise, and that will certainly limit mission durations in the near future.
