An Experimental Approach for Determining the Space Radiation Hazard to Manned Space Flight

The discovery of the earth\u27s radiation belts and the presence of other space radiations coupled with the advent of manned space flight demanded that the biological hazards thus imposed be carefully and thoroughly studied. A sound experimental program has been formulated and pursued by the U.S. Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. This program uses a multidisciplinary approach to develop a sophisticated technique for the measurement, interpretation and evaluation of the space radiation environment and its potential danger. This many faceted program includes the use of both manned and unmanned earth satellites, particle accelerators, computer analyses, and sophisticated radiation measuring devices. The end result of this work will be a radiation monitoring system, simple and economical, with adequate readout for the astronaut in the space vehicle, as well as, biologically meaningful dose, dose rate, and depth dose profile, rapidly available to the ground control facilities