What Happened
7 min read To Protect Artemis II Astronauts, NASA Experts Keep Eyes on Sun As four astronauts travel around the Moon on NASA’s Artemis II mission, they will venture beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field.
Why It Matters
The crew’s spacecraft, Orion, will carry and protect them as they journey into deep space and serves as the main protection against the Sun’s intense power. During their 10-day flight, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will monitor the Sun around the clock and translate space weather conditions into real-time decisions to protect the astronauts. Space weather refers to the changing conditions driven by solar wind and eruptions from the Sun. Solar flares are the most powerful eruptions in the solar system, the strongest unleashing more energy than a billion hydrogen bombs.
Key Details
- Coronal mass ejections are giant clouds of solar particles hundreds of times the size of Earth that burst from the Sun. While both flares and coronal mass ejections can affect technology, the primary concern for astronauts is the solar particle events they can trigger, accelerating some particles to near light speed.
- If a significant solar particle event occurs near the Artemis II crew, it could raise radiation levels inside the spacecraft. Too high a total lifetime exposure can contribute to increased risks of developing cancer or health disorders that could impair cognition and performance. During the Artemis II mission, NASA will minimize that risk.
- For the first time in half a century, four astronauts are leaving Earth’s protective magnetic field to enter a realm where massive solar eruptions can unleash more energy than a billion hydrogen bombs.
- The Artemis II crew will fly through a dangerous environment, but they’re not going it alone.
Background Context
7 min read To Protect Artemis II Astronauts, NASA Experts Keep Eyes on Sun As four astronauts travel around the Moon on NASA’s Artemis II mission, they will venture beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field. The crew’s spacecraft, Orion, will carry and protect them as they journey into deep space and serves as the main protection against the Sun’s intense power. During their 10-day flight, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will monitor the Sun around the clock and translate space weather conditions into real-time decisions to protect the astronauts. Space weather refers to the changing conditions driven by solar wind and eruptions from the Sun. Solar flare
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Source: NASA – Original Link
Source: NASA
