Artemis II latest: Why is NASA keeping a close watch on the Sun?

Radiation sickness is a real thing in space, and it is something that NASA is preparing for as Artemis II prepares for launch on April 1. Our Sun also releases immense radiation, and a protective shield around Earth protects us. But when the astronauts leave the safe space and fly towards the Moon, they will be at risk of solar radiation slamming into their spacecraft. This is exactly why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is keeping an eye on the Sun. If a solar storm is reported when Orion is in space, the crew will need to take steps to safeguard itself. Space weather depends on the Sun, and when it releases X-class flares and coronal mass ejections, a stream of highly charged particles races towards the Earth and the rest of the solar system. Our planet has a magnetic field, and the International Space Station is also somewhat located inside this zone. But Orion would be out there fending for itself.

Artemis capsule and radiation in space

Radiation levels inside the spacecraft and on the Moon will register a spike. NASA has prepared for such an eventuality. While the Orion has been built keeping in mind that something like this can happen, engineers are also prepared to alert the astronauts on board the spacecraft. If an intense solar storm occurs during the travel time of the Artemis 2 crew, a warning would be quickly sent, and the astronauts would then hide inside the safe space on Orion. It has been fitted with radiation sensors that can measure the radiation doses and dose rates in different parts of the ship. Radiation dosimeters worn by the astronauts also do the same job.

Also Read: Orion for Artemis II: Design, size, inclusions, trip time, and the toilet problem

Astronauts can use equipment to create barrier between solar radiation and themselves

If ever radiation levels spike inside the spacecraft, onboard alarms will sound and alert the astronauts, who can take steps to monitor the situation closely. There is a stowage compartment in the capsule that can be used as a radiation shelter in case of need. The crew has been trained to reconfigure the insides of the capsule, which includes removing stowed equipment and other materials from storage bays and using them to act as barriers between themselves and incoming particles. Once crews add mass to the places that tend to be hotter in terms of radiation exposure, they can then continue to go about their duties,” Stuart George, a space radiation analyst at NASA Johnson, told Universe Today.

Also Read: Artemis II and Apollo 8: The 'ultimate test drive' for humanity’s return to the moon

NASA will use several Sun-watching spacecraft already in space to monitor the Sun. These include NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, European Space Agency/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-19 satellite, among others. The Mars Perseverance rover will keep a watch on the far side of the Sun that would be invisible from Earth during the Artemis mission.