Tests aim to see how radioactive environment of space impacts humans
Oct . 29, 2009
NASA is stepping up its space radiation studies with a round of experiments that for the first time in decades will use monkeys as subjects.
The point of the experiments is to understand how the harsh radioactive environment of space affects human bodies and behavior and what
countermeasures can be developed to make long-duration spaceflight safe for travelers beyond Earth's protective magnetic shield.
For the new study, 18 to 28 squirrel monkeys will be exposed to a low dose of the type of radiation that astronauts traveling to Mars can expect to
encounter.
NASA will be exposing 18 to 28 squirrel monkeys to low doses of radiation to understand the effects of long distance space travel.
This is sad that they will be using these beautiful animals to experiment on, remember the Manhattan Project. 
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