Table Of ContentTerrestrial and Extraterrestrial Space
Dangers: Outer Space Perils, Rocket
Risks and the Health Consequences of the
Space Environment
Authored By
Dirk C. Gibson
The University of New Mexico
USA
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DEDICATION
To Susan, with puzzles and love.
This e-book is dedicated to all of the stakeholders of the
commercial space industry. They all have important stakes,
and collectively they will create a thriving and safe global
access to space.
CONTENTS
Foreword i
Preface iii
CHAPTERS
UNIT I: SPACE DANGERS
1. Asteroids 3
2. Near-Earth Asteroids & Near-Earth Objects 13
3. Comets 21
4. Meteors, Meteorites, & Meteoroids 30
5. Space Debris 40
6. Satellites 51
7. Radiation 61
8. Black Holes 73
9. Space Weather 83
10. Centaurs 95
11. Supernovas 105
12. Superbubbles 116
13. Perturbation, Lost Asteroids and the Increasing Number of Space Objects 127
UNIT II: ROCKET RISK FACTORS
14. Rocket Dangers 134
15. Rocket Take-Off Dangers 154
16. In-Flight & Landing Accidents 163
17. Space Saturation 178
UNIT III: SPACEFARER HEALTH & MEDICAL RISKS
18. Sleep Dysfunction 190
19. Bones 203
20. Vision Problem 217
21. Mental Health 228
22. Cardiovascular Issues 240
23. Brain & Neurology 249
24. Space Adaptation Syndrome & Space Sickness 260
25. Digestive & Immune Systems 271
26. Muscles 281
27. Microbes 291
28. Cancer 304
UNIT IV: QUANTITATIVE SPACE DANGER RISK LEVELS
29. Quantitative Risk Estimates of Space Dangers 314
30. Conclusion 324
Subject Index 333
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i
FOREWORD
Today we stand on the brink of the commercial space era. It seems that space tourism is in the
offing, and it may not be long until citizen access to space is available. I believe that Dirk Gibson’s
analysis of space dangers and his basic message is entirely correct; the outer space environment is
exceedingly dangerous, to spacefarers and the planet Earth, but that should not discourage
commercial space development.
There are numerous recent works exploring the dangerous nature of outer space. I am not aware of
any analysis of this topic as comprehensive as Gibson’s. His treatment of space dangers focuses on
three categories of danger; phenomena from space, rocket risks and the medical consequences of
space travel. The research methods employed in this book and the author’s writing style results in
the reader’s exposure to a vast array of sources, including scholarly and popular items, and
traditional print and online material.
Space dangers are not limited to the relatively well-known astronomical entities like asteroids,
comets, meteors, and Near Earth Objects (NEO). Gibson also describes and documents the threats
from space weather, space debris and radiation. In addition, little-known astronomical
phenomenon like black holes, supernovas, superbubbles and centaurs are revealed as potential
space hazards.
Rocket risks are the second type of space hazard qualified and quantified in this book. The
historical record of spaceflight to date has been punctuated frequently by accidents and
catastrophes, and separate chapters document takeoff problems, and those during flight and
reentry. The frightening phenomenon known as space saturation is explored in one chapter.
The medical implications and health consequences of space travel have long concerned space
policymakers and decision makers. The microgravity, vacuum environment of space has serous
effects on spacefarer eyes, brains, hearts, muscles, blood, bones and the neurovestibular and
immune systems. Other negative space consequences involve sleep, appetite, digestion, mental
health issues and cancer. Microbes may well prove to be civilization-ending agents of mass death.
Gibson concludes with an attempt at quantifying the current and future risks from some of these
space dangers. There is an unfortunate cumulative risk effect from space dangers. Even though the
odds of any particular space phenomenon endangering spacefarers or the Earth are relatively low,
the collective aggregate odds are definitely not reason for optimism. The chances of any one of the
potential space dangers described in this book becoming reality are very high. We are overdue for
an astronomical visitor and the scale of destruction would be continental or global.
The point of this book is that space is a dangerous environment. Gibson states that despite the
dangers, he advocates commercial space development, as do I. But a basic premise of our support
for space exploration is full disclosure and understanding of all pertinent risks on the part of all
stakeholders. Every human activity incurs the possibility of some sort of risk, and that is especially
true for transportation. Basic transit modes like riding in carriages, automobiles, ships, trains and
airplanes are potentially dangerous, and these methods of movement were most dangerous during
ii
their initiation into public use. But cost/benefit analysis justifies acceptance of the public risk in
light of the beneficial consequences resulting from industrial development.
John George
Greco Law Group
Nevada, USA
iii
PREFACE
This is a very specialized book, although it touches on a large number of topics in the course of
five main units and thirty chapters. The solitary focus of this research is the description and
documentation of the dangers involved in space travel, and the dangers posed to the Earth by
objects and phenomenon from space. At the dawn of the commercial space era, it is especially
appropriate that work such as this be disseminated.
I am an advocate of commercial space development. Nevertheless, it must be conceded that space
operations are fraught with potential perils and are decidedly dangerous. If space is to be
developed, it is essential that such development proceed as safely as possible. This requires a
complete understanding of the dangers confronted in space, and those likely to threaten the Earth.
My study of space danger begins with a unit on the unique dangers posed by space. There are
about a dozen risks intrinsic to the space environment, including asteroids, meteors and meteorites,
and comets. Near-Earth Objects, Earth-crossing objects, and satellites must be considered, as well
as space debris. Other space dangers include radiation, black holes, space weather, centaurs and
supernovas.
A trio of extra space danger factors is also considered. Perturbation is the initial such factor; it
describes how previously safe orbits can be transformed into threats to the Earth. Lost asteroids are
a second added danger factor, because an unknown number of asteroids threaten the Earth and are
not currently known to us. The final extra space danger factor, collisions, guarantees an endless
supply of space debris.
Transportation dangers are the subject of the second unit of this book. Rocket risks and dangers
are documented, as are take-off, in-flight, and landing difficulties. Space saturation is also
discussed
The medical and health consequences of space travel are examined in this book’s third unit. These
deleterious effects include sleep dysfunction, bone degradation, vision impairment, and
cardiovascular problems. Other space-related maladies include mental health issues, neurological
and brain issues, space adaptation syndrome and the effects on the digestive and immune systems.
Muscle degradation, microbes and cancer are also factors in space medicine.
Quantitative estimates and projections of the dangers posed by space are the topic of the fourth and
final unit. The statistical risks and odds of space danger actualization are presented.
Dirk C. Gibson
The University of New Mexico
USA
E-mail: [email protected]
