![\"Emmanuel](\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/03\/Emmanuel-Urquieta_College-of-Medicine.jpeg\")
When astronauts aboard Fram2 enter a polar orbit on March 31, they\u2019ll become the first crewed flight to orbit Earth over its polar regions. This unique trajectory exposes them to higher levels of cosmic radiation, particularly over the poles where Earth\u2019s magnetic field provides less shielding.<\/p>\n
Because of this, the mission presents an unprecedented opportunity to study how space exploration impacts human health, says UCF\u2019s Emmanuel Urquieta, a renowned space medicine expert and vice chair of space medicine at UCF’s College of Medicine.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe radiation profile and composition could be comparable to what astronauts faced during the Apollo missions,\u201d Urquieta says. \u201cBut 50 years ago, we lacked the technologies to understand in detail the long-term health consequences. Today, with genetic sequencing, molecular diagnostics and our understanding of gene expression, we can uncover so much more.\u201d<\/p>\n
To monitor and mitigate radiation risk, the Fram2 crew will wear dosimeters to track real-time exposure levels. Additionally, the astronauts will use portable X-ray equipment to take the first-ever bone images in space \u2014 a milestone that will allow researchers to assess bone density loss and study the effects of weightlessness on the skeletal system.<\/p>\n