One of the major problems with sending humans to space on long trips will be how much radiation they may receive. The more we can learn about this hazard the better. The Mars Rover, Curiosity, is on its way to Mars and will be measuring what radiation might hit it.
- LRK -
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http://science.nasa.gov/
There was no danger of a collision—Mars rover vs. solar storm. Racing forward at 2 million mph, the plasma cloud outpaced Curiosity’s rocket by a wide margin.
Next time could be different, however. With solar activity on the upswing (Solar Max is expected in 2012-2013) it’s only a matter of time before a CME engulfs the Mars-bound rover.
That suits some researchers just fine. As Don Hassler of the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) in Boulder, Colorado, explains, “We look forward to such encounters because Curiosity is equipped to study solar storms."
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As important as RAD’s cruise phase measurements are, the instrument’s primary mission doesn’t really begin until it lands on the Red Planet.
Mars has a very thin atmosphere and no global magnetic field to protect it from space radiation. Energetic particles reaching ground level might be dangerous to life--both future human astronauts and extant Martian microbes. RAD will find out how much shielding human explorers need on the surface of Mars. RAD will also help researchers estimate how far below ground a microbe might have to go to reach a radiation “safe zone.”
Solar storms are just for starters. Stay tuned to Science@NASA for the second installment of this story:Curiosity and the Habitability Mars.
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Footnote:1Posner notes that only the most powerful CMEs will still be accelerating particles when they are as far from sun as Curiosity will be. For a typical CME, the main thing RAD will detect is the modulation of galactic cosmic rays passing through the CME. Cosmic ray modulation could reveal new information about the interior structure of these storm clouds.
Mars-Bound Rover Begins Research in Space -- NASA press release
Mars Science Lab (a.k.a. "Curiosity") -- home page
The Strange Attraction of Gale Crater -- Science@NASA
A Mars Rover Named Curiosity -- Science@NASA
Curiosity Takes Off -- Science@NASA
Credits: The Mars Science Lab mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL. NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida managed the launch. NASA's Space Network provided space communication services for the launch vehicle. NASA's Deep Space Network will provide spacecraft acquisition and mission communication.
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Whatever vehicle takes humans to space, finding a way to protect them from harmful radiations is going to be a problem that needs to be solved.
- LRK -
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About Us
The goal of NASA's Space Radiation Program (SRP) is to enable humans to explore space without exceeding an acceptable level of risk from exposure to space radiation.
To achieve this goal, the SRP pursues a robust and active research program that encompasses biological, biomedical and radiation physics expertise to provide:
- Recommendations for space radiation permissible exposure limits for exploration missions
- Discovery of the mechanisms of biological effects from celestial radiation such as protons and heavy ions, including potential differences between celestial and terresterial radiation, such as X-rays or gamma-rays in producing biological effects
- Radiobiological data, projection models, and computational tools to assess and project astronauts risk of cancer, central nervous system and degenerative diseases, and acute radiation syndromes from space radiation
- Computational tools and models to project astronaut risk and to assess vehicle design for radiation protection
- Assessment of updated technologies if needed, for monitoring radiation exposure, and recommendations on technologies to be used operationally
- Uncertainty reductions to enable radiation protection design and crew constraints for lunar and Mars missions
- Discovery of biological countermeasures for space radiation risks, and the accurate assessment of the effectiveness of physical, biological, or biological countermeasures or mitigations
The purpose of this web site is to communicate news and to promote awareness of the SRP research program and activities. The web site is produced and managed by the Universities Space Research Association Division of Space Life Sciences.
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Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -
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