• Title/Summary/Keyword: spacewalk

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Dynamics of Extra-Vehicular Activities in Low-Gravity Surface Environments

  • Spencer, David A.;Gast, Matthew A.
    • International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.11-18
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    • 2013
  • Human spaceflight experience in extra-vehicular activity (EVA) is limited to two regimes: the micro-gravity environment of Earth orbit, and the lunar surface environment at one-sixth of Earth's gravity. Future human missions to low-gravity bodies, including asteroids, comets, and the moons of Mars, will require EVA techniques that are beyond the current experience base. In order to develop robust approaches for exploring these small bodies, the dynamics associated with human exploration on low-gravity surface must be characterized. This paper examines the translational and rotational motion of an astronaut on the surface of a small body, and it is shown that the low-gravity environment will pose challenges to the surface mobility of an astronaut, unless new tools and EVA techniques are developed. Possibilities for addressing these challenges are explored, and utilization of the International Space Station to test operational concepts and hardware in preparation for a low-gravity surface EVA is discussed.

Radiation Exposure of an Astronaut subject to Various Space Radiation Environments and Shielding Conditions (다양한 우주방사선 환경과 차폐 조건에서 우주인이 받는 방사선 피폭량)

  • Chae, Myeong-Seon;Chung, Bum-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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    • v.38 no.10
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    • pp.1038-1048
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    • 2010
  • Radiation exposures of an astronaut during the space travels to the International Space Station(ISS) of the Soyuz and the Moon of the Apollo, were calculated considering the altitude, boarding time, period of stay, kinds of spaceships and space suits. The calculated radiation exposures decrease dramatically according to the thickness of the shielding by the wall of the spaceships and by the space suits. For the space travel to the ISS of Soyuz at Low Earth orbit, the thickness of the spaceship required to optimally reduce the radiation exposure is 3 cm. For the Extravehicle Mobility Unit(EMU) the exposures are minimized at 4 cm of the aluminized Mylar and 5 cm of the Demron, respectively. The aluminized Mylar showed better radiation shielding than the Demron which contains the high Z materials. The radiation exposures of an astronaut were $4.2\times10^{-6}$ Sv for the ISS travel and $4.3\times10^{-5}$ Sv for the Moon explore. The high concentration of the high energy proton flux at the surface of the Moon results in high radiation exposure. The calculation scheme and results of this study can be used in the design of the shielding performance of a spaceship and space suits.