Approaching Solar Storm Forces ISS to Take Cover 118
vichyschwa writes "A Coronal Mass Ejection resulting from an X3 Solar Flare earlier today is forcing the ISS and Shuttle astronauts to take cover and may result in communication disruptions. Last week, the same sunspot generated what astronomers described as a rarely imaged solar tsunami. The activity began with an X9 flare Dec. 5. According to Spaceweather.com, "satellites may experience some glitches and reboots, but astronauts are in no danger." However, the astronauts were ordered to a protective area of the space station as a precaution."
tsunami (Score:5, Interesting)
It can still be cool! (Score:3, Interesting)
Cheers!..
You are on to something! (Score:3, Interesting)
Leave the lead shield at home: light elements such as hydrogen work the best for shielding, both because you get more atomic nuclei per mass unit, but also because less secondary radiation is produced. Therefore, water is a good choice for a shield. You need about one meter.
Now, surrounding the ISS with a one-meter deep water shield is unfeasible. However, if you want to protect just one, or two, little things from radiation that is coming from a specific direction, you can. You carry one meter of water shielding with you at all times. Just use you body as a shield!
You will find that astronauts fall into one of two categories: Those who choose to shield their heads and those who choose to shield something else. They are easily told apart during a solar storm by their bodies pointing in opposite directions.
Re:Solar Storm as Anti Virus? (Score:2, Interesting)