Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Low-Earth Orbit. Part 1. Galactic Cosmic Radiation

摘要

In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the radiation doses which will be suffered by astronauts on present-day and future space missions. In order to characterize radiation exposure risks on space missions one requires models of space radiation environments, codes for transporting the components of ionizing radiation, and procedures for assessing radiation risks of a given exposure. To verify their accuracy, predictions based on these transport results must then be compared with existing dosimetry data. Linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, absorbed dose, and dose equivalent from galactic cosmic radiation and its fragments are presented for four, representative low-earth orbit configurations. The orbits include a high (STS-5IJ) and low (STS-61C) altitude, low-inclination (28.5 degs) flight; a high inclination (49.5 degs) flight (STS-51F); and a polar flight. Results are compared with computations for an exo-magnetospheric flight.