Operational Radiation Safety Program for Astronauts in Low-Earth Orbit: A Basic Framework-CC5D292D

Report No. 142 (2002) details the Council's views on components of an operational radiation safety program for astronauts working in low-earth orbits. Astronauts are living and working for extended periods in low-Earth orbit (LEO) during Space Shuttle missions and construction, maintenance and operation of the International Space Station (ISS). The radiation environment they encounter in space is complex, with unique high-LET (linear energy transfer) and high-energy components, as distinct from the predominately low-LET and low-energy radiation environments encountered by most radiation workers on Earth. The primary purpose of an operational radiation safety program for astronauts working in LEO is to assess and control the radiation exposure of individual astronauts commensurate with mission tasks and the prevailing radiation conditions in LEO.

An electronic (PDF) version of this Report is now available in Japanese. Contact DA Schauer ([email protected]) for more information.