Radiobiological Concepts for Manned Space Missions
Abstract
Carefully established premission planning doses and maximum operational dose limits are clearly enhanced by clinical judgements when go-no- go decisions are made in the event of an astronaut's exposure to ionizing radiation. The very nature of extended lunar missions (exploration) and long duration low earth orbit missions are clear cases for evaluating man's clinical response before go-no-go decisions are made. There are well identifiable decision points in mission plans that are best judged by clinical responses if the mission is to avoid performance decrement at critical times, i.e., at the peak of astronaut activity: descent, EVA, ascent, rendezvous, transfer, etc. Careful on-board monitoring of the astronaut's condition and judicious recording and interpretation of actual radiation manifestations with respect to time can and should dissuade premature or unfounded decisions. This philosophy has its greatest merit if one accepts the tenet that man is in the system to make observational judgments and assessments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0714124
Entities
People
- John E. Pickering
Organizations
- United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine