NASA Proposed to Change Radiation Limits for Astronauts

As per the trusted sources of information, a national academics committee has endorsed a proposal from NASA to change the limits for the exposure of radiation the agency sets for the astronauts. The agency, however, warned the astronauts that the revised limit will still be insufficient for the missions on Mars that humans will conduct.

The committee established by the National academics and sponsored by NASA is backed by the proposal of the agency to set a lifelong radiation exposure limit for the astronauts, rather than the different ones, which vary based on gender and age of the astronauts.

NASA states to propose the limit to about 600 millisieverts irrespective of the gender and age of the astronaut. The limit is decided based on the mean risk of 3% of the REID for a woman aged 35 years. This is the most conservative case but is measured with a different standard than the earlier calculations.The change in the radiation limit is an advantage as it will create more opportunities for female astronauts by giving higher limits for radiation.

As per the trusted reports, the proposed standards are likely to create equality of opportunity for the space flight with the higher exposure of radiation for a group of astronauts, especially the women, and the limits being acceptable to the exposure limit of the men. However, the report stated that there is now a high risk of fatal injuries to the astronauts.