Groundbreaking research reveals that astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will be well-protected from the hazards of radiation during the upcoming Artemis II mission to the moon, paving the way for safe and successful lunar exploration.
Artemis I Paves the Way
Artemis I missionwhich sent mannequins instead of human astronauts to the moon and backrepresented an important data point for Artemis II. The design of the Orion spacecraft provides safe levels of radiation exposure for astronauts on future missions to Mars, according to an independent analysis performed by a large team of technical and health experts.
Data from sensors both inside and outside the Orion spacecraft were analyzed by the researchers after the two moon flybys in 2022. They also used data from sensors on the dummies’ spacesuits that joined the mission. This extensive data collection has now given the team a much better feel for the radiation levels that astronauts will experience throughout their trip to and from our barren friend in space.
Space Shelters: Protecting Astronauts From Cosmic Menace
Among the top safety considerations for Artemis II are radiation exposure to the astronauts from cosmic rays and solar rays. This was dealt with by having the two companies constructing Orion stick radiation sensors all around the spacecraft at different points inside and out.
The spacesuit designers even integrated sensors into the suits, on one of the dummies wore a specially designed protective vest. Through analysis of data from all the sensors, the research team has found ways that to alleviate the radiation exposure that future astronauts will feel.
As an example, they even discovered that turning the spacecraft to a certain attitude as it passes through the Van Allen belt could cut exposure by about 50%! There were also large variations in the levels of radiation between different areas inside the space capsule, with some receiving four times less than others, according to the team. For that reason, Mission Control can simply usher astronauts to the most shielded areas of their ship during those few days where we may have little time at all, and let them go back about doing their job even safely.
Conclusion
Analyzing the Artemis I mission data findings are a big leap towards making sure that future astronauts will be safe on lunar missions, with us to help. All of these tests and more have been combined to help NASA determine what shielding measures would be effective as well as how radiation moves through the Orion spacecraft, and you can rest assured that such measures give astronauts the best chance at a safe and comfortable ride for Artemis II on their upcoming mission to the moon. This research will finally enable a new era of lunar exploration whereby the health and well-being of astronauts take precedence, allowing them to fully focus on their scientific and exploratory mission objectives.
