Wollongong technology now being tested in space

Mar 30, 2007

The future well-being of NASA space missions may well rest with an innovative instrument utilizing microdosimetry technology devised in Wollongong that has now been launched into space.

On board the United States Naval Academy satellite MidSTAR-1, launched on March 8 from Cape Canaveral, is a Micro Dosimeter Instrument which can measure a range of radiobiological effects – including effects on humans during long-term space missions.

Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld, director of the University of Wollongong’s Centre for Medical Radiation Physics (CMRP), has collaborated with the Naval Academy on their grant from the US National Space Biomedical Research.Institute to develop a space qualified microdosimeter"Space radiations have significantly affected NASA flight missions," Professor Rozenfeld said.

"Radiations adversely influence the design, reliability, payload mass, mission duration and planned operations of both robotic and human mission. Damage has included reduced power generation, failure of microelectronic devices, and increased background noise in sensors."

Professor Rozenfeld said that the effects of space radiations on humans can also be extremely harmful.

"In humans, radiation exposure may lead to somatic and genetic effects. Acute health complications at relatively high doses could include fatigue, erythema, loss of hair or vomiting," he said. "Long-term complications from low doses at protracted exposures might include carcinogenesis, central nervous system damage and other diseases," he said.

Because of the potential for long-term occupation of the International Space Station, and President George W. Bush's plan for humans to return to the moon as early as 2015 and then travel to Mars, this research into radiation effects is a critical issue, according to Professor Rozenfeld.

He said the research project would bring significant recognition to Australian science and particularly UOW, which is collaborating with reputable US institutions including the US Naval Academy, NASA Johnson Space Center, The Johns Hopkins University, and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Microdosimetry is based on measurements of energy deposited by radiation at cellular level and able to measure radiobiological properties of radiation fields (equivalent radiation dose) independently on the type and energy of charged particles or neutrons.

Professor Rozenfeld said that three generations of PhD students – Peter Bradley, Iwan Cornelius and Fulbright Scholar Andrew Wroe – were trained during this project and are currently continuing this research at the CMRP and overseas in collaboration with the Centre.

The launch of the MidSTAR-1 satellite can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDG_oB_syzQ

For more information about MidSTAR program see http://web.ew.usna.edu/~midstar/

Media please note: For further enquiries please contact Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld on (02) 4221 4574 or Dr Troy Coyle (Executive Officer, Commercial Research Development) on (02) 4221 4420.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128