Radiological health risks to astronauts from space activities and medical procedures

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6067872

Paterson, L E; Nachtwey, D S

Radiation protection standards for space activities differ substantially from those applied to terrestrial working situations. The levels of radiation and subsequent hazards to which space workers are exposed are quite unlike anything found on Earth. The new more highly refined system of risk management involves assessing the risk to each space worker from all sources of radiation (occupational and non-occupational) at the organ level. The risk coefficients were applied to previous space and medical exposures (diagnostic x ray and nuclear medicine procedures) in order to estimate the radiation-induced lifetime cancer incidence and mortality risk. At present, the risk from medical procedures when compared to space activities is 14 times higher for cancer incidence and 13 times higher for cancer mortality; however, this will change as the per capita dose during Space Station Freedom and interplanetary missions increases and more is known about the risks from exposure to high-LET radiation.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, TX (USA). Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
• OSTI ID: 6067872
• Report Number(s): N-91-11356; NASA-TM--102164; S--610; NAS--1.15:102164
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASTRONAUTS
COSMIC RADIATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
PERSONNEL
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATIONS
REVIEWS
SPACE FLIGHT