A plastic astronaut radiation meter

2004/02/13 Lexartza Artza, Irantzu - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Astronomia

Experts have long known that cosmic ray radiation can be a problem for astronauts, but they will do so to find out the real danger. They believe cosmic rays are remnants of the Big Bang, and while protecting the magnetic field on Earth, astronauts have no protection in space. And when they do space rides they receive 27 times more radiation than on Earth.

So far much has been worked on studying this type of radiation, but there are still few knowledge about its possible health effects. They also want to know how radiation affects each organ of the body. This way they can design better protective clothing.

The doll has a natural size, has no limbs and has a weight of 80 kilos. It consists of natural bones and plastics of different density. It has a protective carbon fiber outer layer to block ultraviolet radiation and divert the remnants of space. The organ is also made of plastic and has sensors to measure the dose of cosmic rays in each of them. He has also been called Matroshka, like the Russian doll.

The health of astronauts has become a concern because more and more time is spent in space. In addition, if they want to carry out long travel plans in the future, such as manned trips to Mars, they must prepare to face all the risks. Most spacecraft are mostly made of aluminum, and cosmic rays can easily cross this material. On 26 February the mannequin will be installed outside the space station and the results obtained a year will be analyzed.