Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31240: ALTEA’s Light Ion Detector: Tracking Radiation Threats to Human Health in Space

Radiation is one of the most significant risks to astronaut health during space missions. Unlike Earth, where our atmosphere and magnetic field shield us from cosmic rays, space offers no such protection. This is where ALTEA (Anomalous Long Term Effects in Astronauts) steps in. The Light Ions Detector for ALTEA experiment, developed by Kayser Italia and led by Dr. Livio Narici from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, is a cornerstone in understanding how cosmic radiation affects the human body.

Deployed across multiple ISS expeditions, ALTEA’s advanced sensor system continuously monitors the ionizing particles zipping through the ISS. Specifically, it focuses on light ions like protons and helium nuclei, which constitute a large fraction of cosmic radiation.

The main goal of ALTEA is twofold: first, to quantify the exposure levels astronauts face, and second, to study how this radiation affects neurological and physiological systems. For instance, astronauts have reported seeing flashes of light in their vision—phenomena ALTEA helps investigate by correlating radiation spikes with these perceptions.

This data is critical not just for current missions but also for future long-duration voyages to the Moon and Mars. Understanding radiation’s long-term impacts allows for the design of better shielding, medical protocols, and possibly pharmaceuticals to counteract these effects.

In short, ALTEA is not just a detector—it’s a guardian, silently watching over the crew as they work in Earth’s orbit.

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