04. What protection is there from radiation? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Radiation protection methods are active and passive shielding and dose limitation. Radiation cannot be blocked, but active and passive shielding can minimize its intrusion into human-occupied spaces. Passive bulk shielding works by putting more material between the human and the radiation. The more material the radiation must pass through, the more energy it loses, and the less focused it will be by the time it gets to the human. Active radiation protection takes the form of electromagnetic shielding, electrostatic shielding and chemical radioprotection. Electromagnetic shielding and electrostatic shielding use generated energy fields to deflect or reroute the radiation around the protected area or spacecraft. However these fields do not prevent GCR exposure. Chemical radioprotection uses specialized medication that would be taken by spacefarers; however current versions of these medications require too large a dosage and have too many undesirable side effects to be practical. Dose limitation is the concept of keeping astronauts out of the radiation when possible. This is done by scheduling missions at times when solar flares, which produce increased solar particle radiation, are not predicted; avoiding the South Atlantic Anomaly in Earth orbit; and providing safe havens or highly-shielded areas for sleeping, exercising or eating.

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Answer provided by Nancy J. Lindsey

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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