If approved, (click title to entry - thank you) a proposed experiment would expose squirrel monkeys to radiation in an attempt to help determine safe levels of exposure for astronauts on lengthy missions.
This is an interesting development in the NASA Space Program and it makes complete sense.
I respect PETA. They have helped in many instances with conservation and protections of animals. They have had questionable members at times and their views can be extreme, especially when animals are considered disposable to research.
I respect PETA. They have helped in many instances with conservation and protections of animals. They have had questionable members at times and their views can be extreme, especially when animals are considered disposable to research.
I also respect NASA. A couple of years ago I heard a member of the staff at the Goddard Space Center speak at a university about the ability of humans to travel beyond the gravity of Earth. It wasn't as though NASA could not build a spacecraft to break Earth's gravity. The concern was the 'solar wind' beyond the protections of Earth's gravity and magnetic field. He was very specific to state, any 'human travel' beyond the protections of Earth's own 'fields' was very questionable. The problem to this Goddard scientist was the ability of spacecraft to actually protect humans 'enough' not to have them die of radiation exposure.
Any space travel to Mars would take years and beyond Mars could take a lifetime. All to often we think of space travel as it appears in the movies or on television without the benefit of real facts and experiences about that space travel. NASA knows all to well that one bad experience taints the program and they dearly don't want to simply try human travel without some knowledge to the outcomes.
NASA has relied on primates in all their programs. Chimps were of the first occupants in the Gemini program. Russia did the same thing. If these experiments were taking place in Russia there would be no doubt about the program going forward.
This is probably necessary. The only other possibility is to send cadavers in experimental vehicles and bring them back. That would give some indication to human exposure, but, absolutely no indication to the effects on living organisms. The cadavers could be applied to this experiment, however, it would not provide long term effects or show the benefit of a circulating vasculature. Certainly high levels of radiation, the type found in 'outer space' could cook the blood and end life. So, the investigation to this is understandable.
NASA has relied on primates in all their programs. Chimps were of the first occupants in the Gemini program. Russia did the same thing. If these experiments were taking place in Russia there would be no doubt about the program going forward.
This is probably necessary. The only other possibility is to send cadavers in experimental vehicles and bring them back. That would give some indication to human exposure, but, absolutely no indication to the effects on living organisms. The cadavers could be applied to this experiment, however, it would not provide long term effects or show the benefit of a circulating vasculature. Certainly high levels of radiation, the type found in 'outer space' could cook the blood and end life. So, the investigation to this is understandable.
The Mars Program has been canceled by the Obama Administration. This may be a sincere reason why and NASA needs to prove certain facts before receiving his endorsements or funding. Given this focus, the cancellation of the program is completely understandable. Literally, the USA could be investing billions upon billions only to find out their first Mars shot ends up with fried occupants that could never find their way home again.
