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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 0518.PDF
SPACEFLIGHT TIM FURNISS/LONDON MORE RESEARCH needs to be done to protect space travellers and their space craft from cosmic-ray radiation and debris, says the US National Research Council (NRC). Two recent NRC reports indi cate that NASA does not yet fully understand die effects of long-term exposure to space radi ation, and that agencies worldwide need to do more to protect new spacecraft, such as the modules of the International Space Station (ISS), from debris strikes and radiation. DEBRIS The NRC says that ISS modules, especially tiiose made in Russia, should be fitted with addi tional shielding against space debris, and points out that spacewalkers' suits may also need to be provided with extra protection. The NRC says that better planning is required to prevent "loss of life" in the event of a puncture. Russian ISS modules have been described by one expert as "tin cans". The NRC says that die Scientists maintain that the dangers of cosmic radiation and space debris are being ignored. planned Service Module — which has been delayed — falls far short of requirements,com- pared with other hardware. It may need to be fitted with a shield in orbit. Fitting it with one on the ground will make it too big for its Proton launcher. Consideration also has to be made to what extent damage can be repaired in orbit. The NRC says that spacesuits will need more protection against other penetration hazards, such as a glove puncturing, during routine maintenance outside die space station. "Over alls" on top of a spacesuit could be considered. About 7,600 man-made objects of more than lm in diameter can be tracked in orbit by ground-surveillance radar. These include over 2,000 satellites, of which only about 350 are operational. Other items include spent rocket stages and payload shrouds. There are also 40,000 pieces of debris mea suring between 10mm and 150mm, some of the larger being able to be detected on radar. These have resulted mainly from rocket stages' resid ual propellants causing explosions. Other bits include nuts, bolts and wires. The most treacherous, however, are the 3 million-plus particles, including solid-propel- lant exhaust dust, flakes of paint and shredded insulation..Mere flakesof paint travellingat very high relative speed have pitted the windows of the Space Shuttle and the Mir 1 space station. Another hazard, often overlooked, is that of natural space objects — millions of micro- meteoroids and meteorites. There is not much that can be done about a meteorite strike, but protection against micrometeoroids is just as important as space-debris shielding. The assessment and perception of space- 44 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 February - 4 March 1997
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