Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading…
Transcript

Kosmos 954

Focus Question: What I'm Hoping to Learn!

Focus Question?

1. What is Kosmos 954

2. Is it possible it could have given the workers of the Hay River Hospital cancer

3. How does Radiation cause cancer

Kosmos 954

What is Kosmos 954?

Kosmos 954. A Russian satellite that was launched on September 18, 1977, from the Soviet Union’s famed Baikonur Cosmodrome and, like many Soviet satellites, it had a short functional life . Kosmos 954 suffered a series of mechanical failues and eventually all systems failed. On January 24, 1978, Kosmos 954 fell to Earth. The Soviets thought that the nuclear reactor would burn up harmlessly during reentry but this theory was put to the test in the worst way when a fully operating nuclear reactor containing 50 kg of highly radioactive, dangerous Uranium-235 crashed.

Kosmos 954 Landing Spot

It broke into pieces and rained radioactive material, including bits of the highly radioactive core over some 124,000 kilometers of the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan.

Where did it land?

The Clean Up

Danger

Although clean up crews in what was called operation morning light were sent to the site they could only find minimal pieces of wreckage. The Russians deemed the clean up was successful but despite the great effort of the clean up effort, less than 1 percent was ever recovered and properly disposed of. In other words, up north in the cold and barren wastes, there are still many pieces of radioactive, contaminated satellite waiting to be stumbled upon by someone brave enough to go looking.

Radioactive Levels Lethal

Some of the less contaimated pieces of wreckage contained 500 H/R which was sufficient enough to kill a person if they were in contact with it for more that 2 hours. This means that more contaiminated pieces are still lying out there.

Hay River Hospital

Hay River Hospital

With one percent of the radioactive material recovered many people were at risk of being affected by the remainig radiation. This is evident through the staff at the Hay River hospital. The Hay River Hospital was extremly close to the crash sight. Out of the 40 staff members 38 have died of unusual cancer. The only remaining surviors are RN Ruth Webb who has battled cancer for many years now and Doctor Covert who has not had any ill effects from radiation exposure

How you Can Get Cancer Through Radiation!

Exposure to radiation builds up in our body and the risk of cancer increases with each radiation exposure. So even though a single source of exposure to radiation is unlikely to cause cancer by itself, the combined exposures add up throughout our lifetime and increase our risk of cancer over time. The staff at Hay river were more than likely exposed to this radiation every day and high doses to. 38 of the 40 staff members dying of cancer is no coincidence, it was caused by Komos 954 .

How You Can Get Cancer Through Radiation. Part 2. Continued

When the satelitte crashed it released mass amounts of uranium. This uranium over time most likely broke down and produced radon, a coulerless, odorless radioactive gas. Being exposed to radon for a long period of time is known to cause cancer as it breaks down into a solid radioactive element called radon progeny. Radon progeny can attach to dust and other particles and can be breathed into the lungs. As radon and radon progeny break down they give off radiation that can damage the DNA located within our body's cells. When you breathe it in it can get lodged in the lining of the lungs and from there can destroy lung cells causing cancer. This is no coincidence then that 20 out of the 40 people suffered from lung cancer and the other 18 suffered from cancers like Leukemia, Non-thyroid solid cancer and thyroid cancer. All these cancers have been common when nuclear disasters happen such as Chernobyl and Hiroshima where those where the most common cancers. This leads me to believe Kosmos 954 caused cancer to the workers at the Hay River Hospital.

How Cancer General Works Throughout the Human Body

Cancer cells can spread to surrounding tissues and structures by pushing on normal tissue beside the tumour. Cancer cells also make enzymes that break down normal cells and tissues as they grow. Cancer that grows into nearby tissue is called local invasion or invasive cancer.

Cancer can also spread from where it first started to other parts of the body. This process is called metastasis. Cancer cells can metastasize when they break away from the tumour and travel to a new location in the body through the blood or lymphatic system

Ruth Webb

The remaining survivor ?

Ruth Webb was a graduate nurse when she travelled in 1964, to the Mission field as a Nurse in Hay River, NWT. She remember vividly the crash of Kosmos 954. Contamination crews were present in the surrounding areas for months. She did not finish her career as a Nurse in the North. She has fought Colon Cancer and survived. None of her collegues other than Dr Covert have survived.

Ruth Webb

The Day of The Crash

Ruth Webb, remembers seeing the satellite re- entering the atmosphere above the Town of Hay River. She was on a night shift at the local hospital, and happened to be at a window when a fireball lit up the sky. She called out to another Nurse who also witnessed the event at approximately 5 a.m. on January 24 1978. This was followed in the next weeks by Air Force planes criss crossing the barren tundra looking for radioactive debris. A small army of workers clad in white suits, with Geiger counters were tasked to find the debris.In stark contrast to the placatory words that the debris posed no risk to the general public, some debris brought in to Ruths neighbour at the local newspaper. This event resulted in a visit from these individuals and as Ruth recalls the office was off limits for a period of two weeks due to the radioactive contamination from these small pieces of debris.

The Mad Trapper

The Mad Trapper

This is an Account from Elizibeth Mccarthy, daughter of Jim Mccarthy. On February 25th 1978 Jim came home from the trapline with someone thing odd believed to be a piece of Kosmos 954 was found near his trapline.

The Account

Jim Mcarthy was out checking his trap lines and found a large fist sized piece of debris. He brought his find back to his wife who handled the object. At her prompting Jim contacted the crew that was doing the clean up. Within an hour of contacting the authorities a military helicopter landed with 6 men with geiger counters recovered the piece of debris. Jim and Alice remember the machines clicking when they came close to the object. The men advsied that their contact with radiation was minimal and left. Alice Mcarthy died of lung cancer 2 years later at the ege of 55, who was a life long non-smoker.

How it relates to me?

How This Relates to Me

Ruth Webb is my auntie and has always told me about the story of Kosmos 954 and how she believed it was the reason for the cancer she and her co-workers got. Elizibeth McCarthy told my grandma who worked in Hay River, when she came into visit, and then was retold by my grandma to me. My curosity truly was sparked about this topic and after doing research, I truly believe Kosmos 954 did cause cancer to the workers at Hay River Hospital.

Bibliography

Sun and Other Types of Radiation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about radiation and cancer, but were afraid to ask. (2017, December 18). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://stopcancerfund.org/pz-environmental-exposures/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-radiation-and-cancer-but-were-afraid-to-ask-2/

(n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/other/cosmos954.html

Flight Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://fly.historicwings.com/2013/01/the-nuclear-disaster-of-kosmos-954/

The fall, and artistic rise, of Kosmos 954. (2016, August 24). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://edgenorth.ca/article/the-fall-and-artistic-rise-of-kosmos-954

Bibliography

Sun and Other Types of Radiation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about radiation and cancer, but were afraid to ask. (2017, December 18). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://stopcancerfund.org/pz-environmental-exposures/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-radiation-and-cancer-but-were-afraid-to-ask-2/

(n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/other/cosmos954.html

Flight Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://fly.historicwings.com/2013/01/the-nuclear-disaster-of-kosmos-954/

The fall, and artistic rise, of Kosmos 954. (2016, August 24). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://edgenorth.ca/article/the-fall-and-artistic-rise-of-kosmos-954

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi