The Press Stories
- The researchers determined that the lunar surface was highly radioactive due to a combination of factors.
- The surface of the Moon is two to three times more radioactive than that of the International Space Station, and its radioactivity reaches 1,000 times that of the Earth’s surface.
- Data were collected by a Chinese mission that landed far from the moon.
NASA and other space agencies around the world plan to send humans to the moon soon, but safety, as always, should be a priority. We already know that radiation in space is a serious concern, but new information reveals just how radioactive the Moon’s surface can be.
Researchers write in a new paper in the journal Scientific advancesThe amount of radiation at the Moon’s surface is three times that of the International Space Station, which is already a high level compared to the Earth’s surface.
For the first time in history, data was collected on the far side of the moon by a Chinese mission to complete a smooth landing at a distance. This work, which did many “first” tasks not only for the Chinese space program, but also for humanity in general, also took readings of radiation exposure on the lunar surface.
Much has been said about creating temporary or viable permanent structures on the moon in order to facilitate continuous scientific progress. At this time, there are no definite plans to build settlements on the moon, but we do not know what the future holds. Now, with accurate measurements of radiation coming from the surface, scientists are well aware of what to produce when astronauts arrive.
Radiation is the biggest problem. As we already know, radiation can greatly increase the risk of cancer, and long space missions to places like Mars can put travelers in great danger because they are not under the protection of the Earth’s bubble. The stakes for staying on the lunar surface appear to be high, which would complicate any long-term residency plans for the surface.
Compared to Earth, astronauts traveling to the Moon must withstand up to 1,000 times the radiation we see on Earth. This is very important, even for short-term accommodation, which is a factor that is not well explained. Radiation This radiation is in contact with the lunar surface in the form of cosmic rays and solar radiation as a mixture of radiation coming from space.
There are ways to protect passengers from radiation, of course, including the possibility of a more powerful landing craft designed to provide radiation protection. However, the higher the radiation protection of the spacecraft, the more likely it is to become heavy. There has been some debate about the use of extinct volcanic tubes on the moon to protect astronauts from radiation coming from space. In light of this new study it is not clear how much protection it will provide, but it may be important.
