The biological effects of space radiation during long stays in space.
Many space experiments are scheduled for the International Space Station (ISS). Completion of the ISS will soon become a reality. Astronauts will be exposed to low-level background components from space radiation including heavy ions and other high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. For long-term stay in space, we have to protect human health from space radiation. At the same time, we should recognize the maximum permissible doses of space radiation. In recent years, physical monitoring of space radiation has detected about 1 mSv per day. This value is almost 150 times higher than that on the surface of the Earth. However, the direct effects of space radiation on human health are currently unknown. Therefore, it is important to measure biological dosimetry to calculate relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for human health during long-term flight. The RBE is possibly modified by microgravity. In order to understand the exact RBE and any interaction with microgravity, the ISS centrifugation system will be a critical tool, and it is hoped that this system will be in operation as soon as possible.
Ohnishi
Ken
K
Department of Biology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
Ohnishi
Takeo
T
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D020450:Heavy Ions; D006801:Humans; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011853:Radiobiology; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014893:Weightlessness