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Last Post 3/17/2008 2:31 PM by David Alexander

Coronal mass ejections

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Anonymous

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3/17/2008 10:58 AM
During a Coronal mass ejection how safe are the astronauts in space? Niles (FWMS)

David Alexander

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3/17/2008 2:31 PM
Most of the time an astronaut would be pretty safe, especially inside the space station or space shuttle. However, some of the largest CMEs can produce protons and other ions with enough energy that they travel at a significant fraction of the speed of light. Such particles can make it through spacesuits and even the walls of the space station. Such particles may cause cellular damage in the astronaut's body leading to various levels of radiation sickness in the most extreme cases. Cheers - David