The most recent issue of Science News (18 December 2010) has the
following notes from 17 December 1960: HEAVY SHIELD UNNECESSARY
— Heavy shielding as protection for an astronaut against space
radiations may not be necessary, at least for trips of less than
50 hours and at distances not greater than 618 miles from
earth…. [B]iological specimens were encased in different types
of metal to test their effectiveness as shielding materials.
Some specimens were shielded only by the thin aluminum covering
of the specimen capsule and the comparatively thin shell of the
recovery capsule. Radiation dosimeters showed that aluminum
provided better shielding properties than lead and that any
heavy metal such as gold or lead becomes a hazard during a solar
flare as high energy protons interact with these heavy metals to
create damaging X-rays. However, if you want to travel to the
Moon or journey anywhere within the Solar System, Galactic
Cosmic Radiation will require that the human crew is protected.
Let’s take a look at t