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Astronautical hygiene is the application of science and technology to the recognition and evaluation of hazards, and the prevention or control of risks to health, while working in low-gravity environments.〔Cain, John R. "Astronautical hygiene-A new discipline to protect the health of astronauts working in space", JBIS, 64, 179-185, 2011〕 Space medicine has developed as a science since 1948 when Dr. Hubertus Strughold predicted many of the medical problems of working in low gravity for example, neurovestibular disturbances, red blood cell changes. The discipline of astronautical hygiene includes such topics as the use and maintenance of life support systems, the risks of extravehicular activity, the risks of exposure to chemicals or radiation, the characterisation of hazards, human factor issues and the development of risk management strategies. Astronautical hygiene works side by side with space medicine to ensure that astronauts will be healthy and safe when working in space. This is especially critical with the planned manned expeditions to the Moon and Mars. ==Overview== When astronauts return to the Moon and travel farther to Mars, or even other planets, they will be exposed to a number of hazards e.g. radiation, microbes in the spacecraft, planetary surface toxic dust. An "astronautical hygienist" or an astronaut with knowledge of the discipline would provide invaluable data during the voyage on for example, how to assess the risks to health from exposure to chemicals within the spacecraft and the appropriate measures to mitigate exposure. Once on the surface of the Moon or planet the astronautical hygienist would provide information on the nature of the dust, measure the potential levels of exposure while exploring the surface terrain, assess the likely risks to health and thereby determine how to prevent or control exposure. Applying astronautical hygiene knowledge and expertise from the gathered intelligence during the journey would ensure that the health of the astronauts was protected at all time. The main roles of the astronautical hygienist are: # To initiate and participate in research where a competent assessment of the risks to health are critical e.g. in the development of effective dust mitigation strategies for lunar exploration. # To be actively involved in designing hazard mitigation techniques e.g. spacesuits with low dust retention/release and ease of movement. # To provide in-flight trouble shooting e.g. for identifying the hazard, assessing the health risks and for determining the mitigation measures. # To advise governments such as the UK Space Agency on the most cost effective risk mitigation measures for a manned spaceflight. # To act as a central link between the other space science disciplines. # To provide information, instruction and training on for example, standard setting, on exposure health effects, on hazard identification and on the use of controls. # To provide an holistic approach to protecting an astronaut's health. As manned spaceflight programmes develop over the years and include missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids, then the expertise and knowledge of the astronautical hygienist will be crucial. The Space Shuttle is to be replaced in 2014 by a new spacecraft, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Orion will contain potentially hazardous material such as ammonia, hydrazine, freon, nitrogen tetroxide, volatile organic compounds and it will be necessary to prevent or control exposure to these substances during flight. Astronautical hygienists in the United States together with colleagues in the European Union and individual United Kingdom astronautical hygienists and space medicine experts are developing the measures that will mitigate exposure to these substances. Dr. John R. Cain (a UK government health risk management expert) was the first scientist to define the new discipline of astronautical hygiene. The establishment of the UK Space Agency and the UK Space Life and Biomedical Sciences Association (UK Space LABS) should see the development and application of the principles of astronautical hygiene as an important means to protect the health of astronauts working (and eventually living) in space. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「astronautical hygiene」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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