and dose limits will be discussed further in the next section (Section V). (c) Microwave hazards. A separate study on microwave hazards has been done in parallel with the present effort (Ref. 4). (d) Solar UV hazards. The short wavelength portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (40 to 4000 angstroms) may present an additional health hazard; however, astronauts will be reasonably well shielded in space suits during External Vehicular Activity (EVA) to minimize the hazard, and inside the space vehicle or space station UV is not a problem. (e) Space charge. There will be large voltage differences of the order of 20 kV between the SPS and the magnetosphere at certain times of the day. (f) Meteroids. Different sizes of material traveling in space coming from comets or the asteroids at various speeds (9 krn/sec to 20 km/sec) may hit a spacecraft. In the Apollo program, there were emergency plugs devised to plug any small holes that might occur as a result of collision with meteoroids. However, plugs may not be effective for larger holes; if a meteoroid about 6 inches in diameter were to strike and penetrate the wall of a space chamber, total decompression could occur rapidly. (g) Collisions. Possible collisions may occur, such as an SPS with another SPS, SPS with weather satellites, space debris, collisions with space tugs. (h) System or subystem malfunction. This may be caused by breakdown of components due to mechanical failures, faulty circuits, etc., resulting in lack of control or other modes of failure. (i) Explosions and/or fires. These may result from hazards (f), (g) , (h), or from other factors like improper storage of propellants.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==