NUCLEAR EMULSION RECORDINGS OF THE ASTRONAUTS' RADIATION EXPOSURE ON THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING MISSION APOLLO 9

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: AD0711316 | Open PDF

Abstract:

Ilford G.5 and K.2 emulsions in radiation packs carried by the astronauts on Apollo XI in their space suits were analyzed for identifying the various components of the radiation field in space and determining the total mission dose. In terms of dose equivalents, trapped protons in the radiation belt, disintegration stars in tissue, galactic heavy primaries, electrons, and neutrons contribute in that order to a total mission dose of 201 millirad or 402 millirem. In this exposure, the high-ZE particles with LET values up to 3600 kevmicron tissue constitute a radiobiologically unknown quantity since it is generally agreed upon that microbeam effects in tissue cannot be measured adequately with conventional dosimetric units. Assuming that the effects in question are limited to nuclei of Z 22 and higher, one arrives at a total mission flux of 76 nucleisq. cm. measured on the body of the astronaut this cannot be properly assessed in its biological significance.

Author(s):
Schaefer, Hermann J. ; Sullivan, Jeremiah J.
Author Organization(s):
NAVAL AEROSPACE MEDICAL RESEARCH LAB PENSACOLA FL
Supplementary Note:
DOI: 10.21236/AD0711316
Pagination:
0031

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release, Document Partially Illegible
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited. Document Partially Illegible.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
NAMRL-1112
Task Number(s):
MF12524010
Project Number(s):
F12524
Monitor Series:
NAMRL
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_3.2_Engagement; JCA_3_Force Application; JCA_3.2.1_Kinetic Means
Modernization Areas:
Fully Networked C3
Communities of Interest:
Biomedical
Descriptor(s):
*NUCLEAR RADIATION, *SPACE FLIGHT, *RADIATION HAZARDS, *ASTRONAUTS, *RADIATION MEASURING INSTRUMENTS, SPACE ENVIRONMENTS, EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY), DOSIMETERS, SPACE BIOLOGY, RADIATION DOSAGE
Field(s)/Group(s):
Radiobiology, Astronautics
Keyword(s):
*NUCLEAR EMULSIONS, *APOLLO 11 SPACECRAFT, APOLLO
Report Date:
1970 Jun 29
Creation Date:
1970 Oct 15