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Could a solar storm derail the Artemis II mission?

The Conversation · · 1135 words · By Clive Dyer

The article discusses solar radiation risks for astronauts during deep space missions, referencing historical events like the 1972 solar particle event and current research efforts. It explains how solar cycles affect radiation exposure and mentions NASA's and the University of Surrey's work on mitigating these risks.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/could-a-solar-storm-derail-the-artemis-ii-mission-27…

analyticsAnalysis

0%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

24 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

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verified Verified By Reference 3
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“Every mission to deep space is fraught with danger. A hardware failure during launch, an equipment malfunction far from Earth, or a small space rock hitting the vehicle are all scenarios astronauts will train for.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about astronaut training for deep space dangers.
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“As humans set off for the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, one persistent threat they face is from solar radiation.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia sources provided are unrelated to lunar missions or solar radiation threats. No direct evidence supports the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gansu Dunhuang Solar Park is a 50-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station located in the Gansu Province, in China. All of the modules, which range from 230 to 240 watts, are mounted at a fixed ti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_Dunhuang_Solar_Park
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Concentrated solar power (CSP), also called concentrating solar power or concentrated solar thermal, involves systems that collect solar heat for multiple purposes like cooking, desalination, or the g…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_solar_power
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the masses that orbit it, most prominently its eight planets, of which Earth is one. The system formed about 4.6 billion years ago w…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System
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“Intense bursts of radiation from the Sun, known as solar particle events, can endanger the lives of space travellers, particularly those venturing beyond low Earth orbit (LEO).”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about solar particle events beyond LEO.
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“Exposure to these particles could lead to radiation sickness or, in the worst cases, prove fatal.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about radiation sickness from solar events.
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“On space stations and other crewed vehicles travelling in LEO, astronauts are afforded a high degree of protection by the magnetic bubble surrounding Earth (the magnetosphere).”
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“The Sun’s magnetic activity fluctuates on a cycle lasting roughly 11 years.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia's 'Sun' entry confirms the Sun's solar cycle is approximately 11 years, directly supporting the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Solar may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the masses that orbit it, most prominently its eight planets, of which Earth is one. The system formed about 4.6 billion years ago w…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Sun is the star located at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surf…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
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“The current solar cycle reached its maximum, when the Sun is generally at its most active, in 2024 and is now in a slowly declining phase leading to the minimum, when the Sun is quietest. The current cycle should reach the minimum in 2031.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia sources provided are about 2024 events (e.g., Olympics, TV series) and do not mention solar cycle predictions.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2024 (MMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2024th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 24th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 Summer Olympics (French: Les Jeux Olympiques d'été de 2024), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (French: Jeux de la XXXIIIe olympiade de l'ère moderne) and branded as Paris 2024, wer…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Summer_Olympics
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gentlemen is an action comedy television series created by Guy Ritchie for Netflix. It is a spin-off of Ritchie's 2019 film. The series stars Theo James in the lead role and premiered on March 7, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gentlemen_(2024_TV_series)
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“On November 11 2025, a large solar particle event increased ground level radiation by about 145% for two hours, as measured by the University of Surrey’s neutron monitor at the Met Office station at Lerwick, Shetland.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about the 2025 solar event.
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“This was also detected by University of Surrey SAIRA (Smart Atmospheric Ionising Radiation) monitors installed on two transatlantic flights and on rapid response meteorological balloon flights at Lerwick, Cambourne and near Utrecht in the Netherlands.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about SAIRA monitor detections.
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“Work is in hand to unscramble this complex event to determine the radiation increases worldwide using the University of Surrey computer model MAIRE (Model for Atmospheric Ionising Radiation Effects).”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in cross-references, web search, or Wikipedia to support the claim about MAIRE model usage.
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“Three immediate research papers are in production to describe the radiation monitors and their calibration, to summarise the flight data and to compare the data with available models.”
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“The solar particle event on November 11 2025 serves to tell us that, whatever the probabilities might be, the Sun can always take us by surprise.”
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“The Sun was in a similar declining phase in its 11-year cycle as we are today. Then, between August 2 and August 11 1972, the Sun unleashed one of the largest solar particle events of the space age.”
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“This gigantic release of charged particles from the Sun occurred in between the Apollo 16 (April 1972) and Apollo 17 (December 1972) missions to the Moon.”
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“This event was much bigger than the one in November 2025 – by a factor of 40. If it had taken place while astronauts were in space, the radiation dose could have caused severe illness or even death.”
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“The event caused 4,000 mines to detonate in Hanoi.”
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“The High Energy Proton instrument measures high-energy particles via light flashes even when astronauts have their eyes closed.”
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“The University of Surrey’s detectors could be on a lunar mission by the end of the decade.”
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“NASA’s $20 billion lunar base and China/Russia’s outpost are planned.”
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“Radiation warning systems allow astronauts to retreat to shelters during solar events.”
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“Orion spacecraft’s storage lockers are the most protected area during solar events.”
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“Warning systems can instruct aircraft to fly lower or stay grounded during solar events.”
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“Modern electronics are more vulnerable to radiation than Apollo-era computers.”
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“The greater hazard is now to flight electronics than astronaut health.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.