Radiation Vest Tested on NASA Moonshot Can Cut Astronauts’ Exposure in Solar Storms, Study Suggests
Researchers said the vest could cut radiation dose by about 60% in a severe solar storm, using data from NASA’s Artemis I test flight.
- On August 11, a NASA ensemble forecast predicted a coronal mass ejection's arrival at 10:32 UTC to the minute, matching the recorded shock arrival exactly while displaying a wide interval of uncertainty.
- Analysts used solar-wind data from ACE and DSCOVR spacecraft near the Sun-Earth L1 point to identify the shock arrival boundary, a methodology that improves upon the 11-year accuracy record.
- Findings published August 12 in Science Advances demonstrate the AstroRad vest could reduce radiation exposure by about 60% in solar storms as fierce as 1972 and nearly 40% during a calamity mirroring 1989.
- Lead scientist Jordan Houri and his team analyzed high-fidelity data from manikins Zohar and Helga, confirming the vest shields vital organs and providing critical insights for future deep-space exploration.
- Future moon bases and potential Mars missions will extend mission durations, driving up radiation risks and making the AstroRad vest essential for protecting astronauts during dangerous solar storms.
30 Articles
30 Articles
NASA-tested vest could cut astronauts' radiation exposure by 60% during major solar storms
The AstroRad vest flew around the moon in 2022 on Zohar, one of two female manikins aboard NASA's Orion capsule. Researchers compared Zohar's readings with those from Helga, a second manikin that wore no vest. Both contained thousands of radiation sensors.Read Entire Article
Radiation Vest From Artemis I Flight Delivers 60% Dose Cut in Solar Storms
Solar particle events arrive without warning. Bursts of protons from the sun can deliver dangerous radiation doses to astronauts far from Earth. Spacecraft walls offer some defense. Yet mass limits constrain how much shielding engineers can add. A wearable solution just cleared its biggest test yet. StemRad, the Israeli-American startup behind the AstroRad vest, flew the garment aboard NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022. Data from that fl…
A device tested in 2022 with two mannequins allowed simulating protection against extreme solar events and could be key to future lunar missions
The effectiveness of a ‘radiation vest,’ which reduces the amount of radiation astronauts receive by up to 60% during powerful solar storms, has been confirmed through actual spaceflight experiments. An international research team including NASA, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), and Lockheed Martin Space analyzed the performance of the ‘AstroRad’ radiation shielding vest carried on NASA’s unmanned lunar mission ‘Artemis 1.’
The Toronto Star
Radiation vest tested on NASA moonshot can cut astronauts’ exposure in solar storms, study suggests
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A new study suggests a protective vest tested on a manikin during NASA’s first Artemis moonshot could drastically cut the radiation exposure of lunar astronauts during severe solar storms.
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