Cosmic radiation bombards Fred the Phantom Torso. Ouch!

William Atkins
Thursday, 28 May 2009 06:21

Science - Space

NASA has a mannequin that is anatomically correct with respect to the human torso. Fred stays up in space at the International Space Station so that he can simulate the amount of radiation, especially galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), that hits astronauts while in outer space. Ouch again!


NASA says, “An unusual space traveler named Fred is orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station. His job? To keep astronauts safe from space radiation.”

Fred is a 95-pound, three-foot high simulation of a human's upper torso. He has artificial skin but real bones. His organs—heart, brain, colon, kidneys, and liver—are made of plastic that resemble the density of these same organs in the human body.

He doesn’t have any arms or legs, but those aren’t necessary because what is especially critical out there in outer space is what potentially dangerous radiation could do to the vital organs contained with humans.

These dangerous high-speed particles pass through the bodies of astronauts in outer space because they aren’t blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere, as many of them are when we live on the surface of Earth.

When humans begin to extend their time in space—we’re talking years rather then months as is practiced now—the effects of space radiation sickness could lead to health problems in our astronauts.

And, NASA does not want that to happen. So, a lot of research is going into the adverse effects that radiation can cause to the human body.

And, Fred the Phantom Torso is leading the way.

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