NASA's Look at Health Concerns in Space Travel

5 areas of concern:
https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/5-hazards-of-human-spaceflight

Radiation:
https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/elements/radiation/risks

Cancer in specific:
https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/evidence/reports/Cancer.pdf?rnd=0.25127564335767


NASA is not allowed to radiate astronauts at levels that are known to be "too" risky.

Is this a real issue? From that last document:

 

One things for sure, you don't want to get E. Coli in space either.

 

No matter what is done or considered, space will be dangerous and unhealthy for everyone who goes there for more than month or so...even just a day or getting there in the first place. Anyone who decides to do so is aware of this reality and does so regardless. In time, further understanding and safeguards will be enacted but in this pioneer stage its what we have. Think of the Oregon trail...many died and many got a better life.

 

Create a magnetosphere.


Simple enough.

 

True, but there is a catch here in that NASA is an employer with responsibilities for its employees under US law.

They have limits on how much danger they can allow astronauts to accept.

As one of those cites includes, there is reason to believe that these limits could delay human travel to Mars, as we do not have solutions to the health safety issues even just related to traveling to Mars and returning.

 

I wonder what it would be like to live and work next to a machine that would create a magnetosphere strong enough to block cosmic radiation.

 

NASA will not be first to mars, and Private employers just need a contract.

 

Private employers work under OSHA.

I'm not so sure a private employer can avoid these requirements by hiding behind contract law if that's what you mean. Buildings are built by contract. I don't see construction companies cuting contracts with indiviuals who are willing to work in conditions that would otherwise be illegal.

NASA doesn't actually have to meet the same level of safety requirements required of other employers. But, they don't get a free pass.

 

OSHA has no rules or regulations as of yet so they cannot be relevant. Likely they will eventually use NASA risk assessment data once they are forced to by private companies in space.
"
NASA RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
NASA addresses health risks associated with spaceflight using a number of strategies, including engineering, design, mission planning, basic and clinical research, surveillance, medical monitoring, preventive and treatment countermeasures, and health standards. NASA has an extensive research portfolio—managed and implemented through the NASA Human Research Program, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and other NASA directorates—designed to examine, prevent, and mitigate health and safety risks. The committee was not asked to review NASA's risk management processes but rather to articulate ethics principles, decision points, and recommendations (see Chapters 5 and 6) that should guide health standard decision making surrounding long duration and exploration spaceflight missions and that could be integrated into risk management processes."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222156/

 

Why a machine?
How about wrapped in an electrified conductor.
? Copper wire ?

 

During the 1970's I lived on a nuclear submarine for several months at a time. One can grow accustomed to pretty much anything over time.

 

Yes, NASA appears to have a good risk management process. And, I fully believe that these various techniques will be used. The best I can do is respect the scientists at NASA and their contractors in carrying out this process.

But, their reports say that even with their various techniques, they don't have a solution.

 

??

 

? ?
BACK AT YOU

What don't you get?

The value of a magnetosphere?
Creating one without a machine?

 

Limitations that Private entities will avoid. Thus will SpaceX and others get there first.

 

I don't mean that it would be uncomfortable or claustrophobic.

The required magnetic field would have to be stupendously powerful and not contained like a nuclear power supply.

It would have to be strong enough to block the super high energy particles from ouside our solar system (those being the most serious) I wonder what it would be like to live inside a magnetic field that powerful.

Eventually, one might imagine building a gigantic field generator where the local affect would be less. On earth, we can see our magnetic field with just a compass. But, since it's the size of earth it can still block the particles that can kill us.

 

Anything we build to create something like a magnetosphere is a machine. It's going to have a gigantic power source, controlware, etc.

I just didn't understand what you meant by "why a machine".

 

What is a limitation that a private entity could avoid, but NASA couldn't avoid?

 

Youtube of Fraser Cain on artificial magnetospheres for protection from space radiation:

Fraser Cain

 

A reminder of how this discussion began.
"True, but there is a catch here in that NASA is an employer with responsibilities for its employees under US law.

They have limits on how much danger they can allow astronauts to accept.

As one of those cites includes, there is reason to believe that these limits could delay human travel to Mars, as we do not have solutions to the health safety issues even just related to traveling to Mars and returning. "

 

Machine to me means, moving parts.

Magnetosphere with no moving parts can be created.

 

OK, I'll try to remember that. I'm not worried about moving parts.

 

I wonder if a keto diet with intermittent fasting would help protect their cells in space as they are starting to show keto\fasting helps protect the cells in chemo, not only that it woudl take less weight in food to supply the astronauts and cause then to use less oxygen

 

I did notice in one of the OP documents that diet is mentioned as one of the techniques for radiation protection.

So, I bet you're right. I hadn't heard of keto diet.

 

I should have been clear. I was referring to the fact that one could peer through lead-lined glass and see the reactor in operation and KNOW that one was within feet of absolute and certain death.