RF RADIATION HAZARDS TO SPACE STATION PERSONNEL
R. A. Inman · 1970
A 1970 NASA memo found that the currently accepted safe limits of RF radiation can be exceeded easily in the near field of high gain antennas on the space station.
Plain English Summary
The purpose of this document is to examine the possible levels of RF radiation to which personnel on the space station and similar spacecraft might be exposed. The memo noted that formation of cataracts in the eyes of both experimental animals and man has been demonstrated after exposure for a few minutes. The memo concluded that personnel working in the field of these antennas should be protected from overexposure to this radiation.
Why This Matters
There is currently much controversy and uncertainty concerning the possible effects on the human body of exposure to electromagnetic energy in the microwave frequency ranges. The excitation of atoms by microwave radiation results in the production of heat, and the depth of penetration, and therefore the depth at which heating occurs, is dependent on the frequency of the radiation. At frequencies below 1000 MHz, the energy penetrates into the body, and vital organs may be heated, while above 3000 MHz, the heating is near the skin, but heat may be conducted to the deeper tissues. In the frequency range from 1 to 12 GHz, 60 by 60 mesh screen will allow only about 1 percent of the incident radiation to pass. The memo recommended that care should be taken to keep unshielded personnel out of the main beam and the near field of the high gain antennas.
Show BibTeX
@article{rf_radiation_hazards_to_space_station_personnel_g3644,
author = {R. A. Inman},
title = {RF RADIATION HAZARDS TO SPACE STATION PERSONNEL},
year = {1970},
}