NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The information in this document was accurate as of the original publication date.

Audience: Educators
Grades: 9-12
Product Number: EP-2008-08-116-MSFC


Radiation biology is an interdisciplinary science -- biology, physics, astrophysics, planetary science, and engineering -- that examines the effects of radiation on living systems. The Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge educator guides link these disciplines in the context of a lunar outpost by providing background, discussion and research questions, objectives and inquiry-based activities to introduce radiation biology. Module 1 includes a pretest, lessons, student sheets and answer keys about the types of radiation, its origin, how it is measured and how it affects astronauts.

The activities in the guide are:

• Modeling Waves in the Electromagnetic Spectrum
• The Cloud Chamber
• Radiation Exposure on Earth

Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Introduction and Module 1: Radiation Educator Guide  [1.5MB PDF file]


Other modules in this series are:
Module 2: Radiation Damage in Living Organisms Educator Guide
Module 3: Radiation Countermeasures Educator Guide
Module 4: Applications to Life on Earth Educator Guide


The following videos supplement this guide:
Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Act 1: What Is Radiation and Where Does It Come From?
Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Act 2: Space Radiation and Human Health
Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Act 3: Protection From Space Radiation


Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Main Page