Abstract
This chapter describes the radiation field in space and basic radiobiological mechanisms, and then concentrates on the specific biological responses resulting from exposure of biological systems to the space radiation environment. These responses include the biological effects of the heavy ions of cosmic radiation, and interactions of radiation with the other parameters of spaceflight, above all weightlessness. Comparisons are made with terrestrial findings using particle accelerators on Earth. The chapter concludes with concerns for radiation safety during human space missions and future research projects in radiation biology, particularly related to the planetary exploration program.
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Horneck, G., Baumstark-Khan, C., Facius, R. (2006). Radiation Biology. In: Clément, G., Slenzka, K. (eds) Fundamentals of Space Biology. THE SPACE TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY, vol 18. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-37940-1_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-37940-1_7
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