Fear of Irradiated Ladyparts Limits Missions for Female Astronauts
LatestIt’s hard enough to be an astronaut. You basically have to be a genius physical specimen with enough intelligence to understand astrophysics, but not enough self-awareness to fear being strapped to a rocket and hurled into low orbit by a column of fire. For aspiring female astronauts, though, the selection process is even more rigorous because current restrictions on radiation exposure limit the number of opportunities women have to travel on extended space missions.
According to a recent article from Space.com, NASA’s current standards for radiation exposure do not allow either male or female astronauts to accumulate a radiation dose that would raise their risk for developing cancer by more than three percent. The thing is, though, astronauts are exposed to waaaay more radiation than your average, earthbound schlub, who has the benefit of Earth’s Magic UV Shield (EMUVS is, like, a technical term or whatever). An International Space Station dweller, for instance, receives 40 times the average radiation dose of the average person living on Earth, which basically means that that every astronaut who goes on a six-month mission is three steps away from becoming the Fantastic Four’s fifth pity member — Lymphomaniac, the Cancer-Riddled Avenger.