PV Gap

Mitchell Said:

Solar Storms predicted. What will happen to astronauts on the International Space Station if caught in the?

We Answered:

The usual procedure - get inside special radiation shelter regions of the ISS, that are places inside the modules that have more material around them and shield more radiation away. If you are outside the space station, get inside it as fast as possible. Even just waiting inside the airlock and not entering the rest of the station is reducing the radiation dose significant.

If you would be on the moon in a spacesuit and thus outside the magnetosphere of Earth, a very strong radiation burst could kill you instantly, while normal CMEs would just trouble the flight surgeon.

In a spacecraft you would survive the strongest CMEs but get a serious radiation dose, which would mean you would no longer be permitted to fly a mission because astronauts work under the same laws as nuclear power plant technicians: You are only permitted to get a dose during your flights, that increases your lifetime cancer risk by 3%. That is for example achieved by a complete Mars mission of 2.5 years in outer space.

Astronauts in the ISS have not yet seen strong solar storms or CMEs yet, because the construction of the ISS just started during the last solar maximum in 2001 and most crews spend their time there during the calm solar minimum.

But the astronauts of the space station Mir had been exposed to the very strong solar storm of 1989, during which they received the same dose of radiation in a few hours, that they would otherwise get during a full year in space.

Frederick Said:

How much energy/petrol does the international space station require per year?

We Answered:

Petrol? :)
You can't use a fossil-fuel-burning generator in space because it would cost a huge amount to transport the fuel and the oxygen to burn it from earth. Also you would have to get rid of all the heat, which is not easy in a vacuum.

The ISS uses solar panels to provide all its electrical power. The panels are only illuminated half the time of course; when it is on the night side of earth they generate no electricity so the station runs off rechargeable battery packs during this time.
The total power available at any time is 110KW.

Constance Said:

what factors would cause a local solar energy sector to enter into international markets?

We Answered:

Tax incentives for solar companies. It all boils down to money.

Carmen Said:

can we invest 5% of our national income in converting solar energy into electrical energy i.e investing in R&D

We Answered:

yes v good idea