Wilhelm Röntgen, the “father of radiology,” discovered x-ray radiation in 1895. On Earth, researchers have harnessed the power of radiation beneficially for more than a hundred years in diagnostics and therapy. Scientists are currently studying ways to mitigate and protect against radiation. Described by Fox as “science enabling exploration and exploration enabling science,” the program seeks to better understand how spaceflight affects living systems. So, how can NASA protect astronauts as it plans for missions going deeper into space?Įnter the space biology program.
A mission to Mars would be double the career exposure limit, she estimated. Most missions are generally under 100 mSv, according to Fox, and NASA limits total career exposure to 600 mSv. Beyond that, human explorers are exposed to radiation from particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, galactic cosmic rays from beyond our solar system and radiation emitted from the sun.Įxposure is measured in Milli-Sievert (mSv), with one mSv equal to the radiation produced by three chest x-rays. Astronauts in low Earth orbit (such as the International Space Station) are protected from space radiation by Earth’s atmosphere. One huge concern for off-planet travelers is radiation exposure. The Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018 and will orbit the sun 24 times, recording data about the flow of energy from the sun. Parker initiated a chain of discoveries leading to the first-ever mission to “touch” the sun. The heliophysics field is only about 60 years old, founded by Fox’s mentor and fellow NASA physicist Dr. Its upper atmosphere-the corona-releases a stream of charged particles known as solar wind, which influences the aurora borealis and man-made power grids. The sun is a ball of hot plasma heated by nuclear fusion reactions at its core. Heliophysics is the science of understanding the sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather. Her lecture described heliophysics and solar radiation. Going to the Sourceįox, associate administrator of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, currently oversees more than 140 missions that enable a deep scientific understanding of Earth and other planets, the sun and our universe. But, out in space, radiation is much more plentiful-and dangerous. On Earth, the closest we get to cosmic radiation is the ultraviolet light (UV) radiation from the sun that reaches us through our planet’s atmosphere. Radiation can slow the growth of cells by damaging their DNA if the radiation dose is high enough, it can kill cells outright. Common sources include cosmic rays from outer space and medical x-rays. Defining Radiation’s PowerĪccording to the NCI, radiation is energy released in electromagnetic waves. In a talk titled “Solar Winds and Magic Bullets: Making Our Way in a World of Solar Radiation,” the speakers discussed the radiation at work in our solar system and in earthly cancer treatments. Nicola Fox and National Cancer Institute radiation oncologist Dr. The final Demystifying Medicine lecture of the 2023 season focused on that commonality, featuring NASA heliophysicist Dr. What do the sun and cancer treatments have in common? Radiation.
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