Health aspects of radiation exposure on a simulated mission to Mars

摘要

In the simulated mission to Mars described in this report, anticipated times of highest solar activity are avoided, and launch times are dates when Earth and Mars are positioned for the shortest travel time consistent with the minimum energy expenditure to travel between the 2 planets. The mission lasts approximately 2.7 years: 536 days in transit plus 439 days on Mars. The estimated effective dose to each of the space travelers is 2.26 Sv, which includes 0.17 Sv received during a solar-proton event. The lifetime risk of fatal cancer from radiation exposure during the mission ranges from 2.4% for men of ages 55-64 (at the time of the mission) to 16.7% for women of ages 25-34. If one of the space travelers conceives a child after the mission is completed, the risk to that child of inheriting a genetic defect caused by the parent's radiation exposure on the mission would be between 0.7 and 1.1%. The space travelers will not experience acute effects of radiation, but they are likely to incur an increased risk of developing cataracts. Men on the mission may experience temporary reduced fertility.