Astronautical Hygiene - Overview

Overview

When astronauts return to the Moon and travel farther to Mars, or even other planets, they will be exposed to a number of hazards e.g. radiation, microbes in the spacecraft, planetary surface toxic dust. An "astronautical hygienist" or an astronaut with knowledge of the discipline would provide invaluable data during the voyage on for example, how to assess the risks to health from exposure to chemicals within the spacecraft and the appropriate measures to mitigate exposure. Once on the surface of the Moon or planet the astronautical hygienist would provide information on the nature of the dust, measure the potential levels of exposure while exploring the surface terrain, assess the likely risks to health and thereby determine how to prevent or control exposure. Applying astronautical hygiene knowledge and expertise from the gathered intelligence during the journey would ensure that the health of the astronauts was protected at all time.

The Space Shuttle is to be replaced in 2014 by a new spacecraft, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Orion will contain potentially hazardous material such as ammonia, hydrazine, freon, nitrogen tetroxide, volatile organic compounds and it will be necessary to prevent or control exposure to these substances during flight. Astronautical hygienists in the United States together with colleagues in the European Union and individual United Kingdom astronautical hygienists and space medicine experts are developing the measures that will mitigate exposure to these substances.

Dr. John R. Cain (a United Kingdom government expert) was the first scientist to define this new discipline. He is a fellow of the Institute of Biology, a fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, a member of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene and a member of the United Kingdom Space Biomedicine Association. For many years, he has been working to develop the discipline of astronautical hygiene with the goal of establishing a school of space medicine and astronautical hygiene in Britain linked with a major university. The establishing of the UK Space Agency to promote and develop space science is one step in achieving this goal.