Uncertainty Looms over NASA Monkey Radiation Experiments

Last year, a massive scandal erupted when PETA learned that NASA was planning to conduct a series of radiation experiments on unsuspecting monkeys. The faith of the experiments is now uncertain.

These studies were to be conducted at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), with direct funds being provided by the American space agency.

Squirrel monkeys were to be exposed to radiation so that experts could analyze the effects that long-term high-energy gamma rays would have on the primates' ability to perform tasks.

The effects on their health would also be analyzed, as a proxy for future astronauts that could go on Mars. This is one of the main obstacles in space exploration, the fact that no one knows how a human crew would respond to spending nearly 2 years in space.

When People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) learned that NASA was planning these experiments, it began a series of protests, arguing that it was inhumane to expose the squirrel monkeys to such high doses of radiation.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, the group issued a request to review the documents assocaited with the NASA-BNL collaboration in this regard.

The papers, including a draft called “Decision regarding the disposition of the NSRL Proposal N-249,” were released to PETA, but not in full as the organization expected.

The DOE cited an exemption under the federal law, which allowed it to modify the contents of the documents it released under the Act. This meant that BNL officials could blank out the decision they made in regards to the experiments.

Needless to say, this was precisely the most important aspect of the documents. “Unfortunately, before the government sent us these documents, it blacked out Brookhaven's decision, so we don't know if plans to hurt these animals are moving forward or not,” a PETA statement reads.

When contacted for statements, BNL representatives told Space that a decision on the issue was pending, and added that they don't know when a clear decision will be made.

“Studies in nonhuman primates are essential to be able to best predict neurobehavioral effects of radiation on humans,” said in November 2009 Bill Jeffs, a spokesman for NASA.

The official, who is based at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas was arguing for the necessity of conducting such studies, even if cruel.

However, officials at Animal Defenders International (ADI) drew attention to the fact that while NASA and RosCosmos were deciding to irradiate monkeys, the European Space Agency considered such experiments unnecessary.