Health Affects of Being an Astronaut

November 10, 2005

By Elizabeth Saloom

Good news for a small number of feds who work for NASA: Male astronauts exposed to cosmic rays in space are not likely to pass on possible mutations caused by the rays to their offspring, according to a new study by a collaboration that includes a scientist from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL).

The results were published earlier this year in the April 11, 2005, online issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“We concluded that one hazard to male astronauts as a result of exposure to cosmic rays—high-energy, heavy nuclei that zoom in from deep space—is probably temporary sterility, but not significant effects to their future offspring,” said biophysicist Richard Setlow, the BNL scientist who participated in the research.

Cosmic rays may cause more severe damage to cells and are more likely to result in gene mutations or cancer.

To test how cosmic-ray exposure might affect the children of astronauts, Setlow and his collaborators used small fresh-water fish. Male fish were exposed to high-energy nuclei that simulate cosmic rays. After exposure, the males were mated to non-exposed females.

The results showed that that sperm cells in male astronauts exposed to cosmic rays are more likely to die (causing temporary sterility) than undergo a non-lethal mutation that could pass on to children.

For more information, go to www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=05-43

Housing Grants for Injured Vets

The House Veterans Affairs Committee approved legislation last month to expand housing grants for disabled veterans. Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., sponsored the Veteran’s Housing and Employment Improvement Act, H.R. 3665, which would change a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program to allow grant money to be used for modifications to homes where disabled veterans live, even if they do not own the properties. Boozman said the changes to the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Program will enable many younger, single veterans who are disabled and return to live with their families to be eligible to modify their parents’ homes through the program. The bill has 10 co-sponsors. Currently, veterans that have specific service-connected disabilities may be entitled to a grant from the VA for the purpose of constructing an adapted dwelling or modifying an existing home to meet the veterans’ needs.