A recent study indicates that a protective vest tested on a manikin during NASA’s Artemis I mission could significantly reduce radiation exposure for lunar astronauts during intense solar storms. This study focused on the radiation-shielding vest worn by a female test dummy in 2022. The Artemis I mission didn’t carry people on board, preparing the ground for a future moon mission scheduled for April, manned by a flyby crew of four astronauts.
The Challenge of Radiation
Radiation is a major concern for astronauts as NASA progresses towards establishing a base on the moon. Shielding garments can provide safety to lunar crews during solar storm events, potentially allowing them to leave their shelters if needed. This study, conducted by a team from the U.S., Germany, and Israel, was published in the journal Science Advances.
A previous version of this vest was tested on the International Space Station. Although the Artemis II astronauts did not take the vest due to space constraints during their 10-day mission, future crews might bring it along. The vest is designed to be worn during high-radiation solar events, covering and protecting critical human organs like lungs, stomach, bone marrow, breasts, and ovaries. Women are considered more vulnerable to cancer caused by radiation exposure.
Artemis I Mission Insights
The Artemis I mission included two female manikins, Zohar and Helga, which traveled to the moon and back. These life-size manikins, measuring 3 feet from head to lower torso, were secured inside NASA’s Orion capsule. Zohar wore the 57-pound (26-kilogram) AstroRad vest, produced by the U.S.-Israeli startup StemRad and Lockheed Martin. A prototype of the vest had previously been evaluated on the space station for comfort and performance.
Helga did not have a vest, but both manikins contained thousands of radiation sensors. Jordan Houri, the study’s lead author from StemRad, described it as “the largest experiment ever conducted to determine astronaut radiation exposure beyond low-Earth orbit.” Funding came from NASA, the German Aerospace Center, and the Israel Space Agency.
Study Findings
Radiation exposure for space travelers is considerably less near Earth due to its protective atmosphere and magnetic field. The Artemis I flight faced no major solar disturbances. However, Houri’s team used data from the Orion’s journey through the inner Van Allen radiation belt to simulate how protective the vest could be during extreme solar events like the ones in 1972 and 1989.
The research revealed that the vest could decrease an astronaut’s radiation dose by approximately 60% during a solar storm as severe as the 1972 event and by nearly 40% during a similar calamity to that in 1989. This protection is equivalent to avoiding 193 days and 131 days of deep space radiation exposure, respectively.
Future Applications and Developments
The plans for future moon-base missions include longer stays, increasing the risk of severe solar storms. Mars expeditions might last even longer, with possibilities envisioned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk of establishing a city on Mars.
Researchers aim to reduce the vest’s weight while maintaining its effectiveness. They are also exploring how to create radiation shielding from existing spacecraft materials, recycling that could prove lifesaving for crew members.
Houri stated there might not be a requirement for further deep-space testing soon, as the data from Zohar and Helga provided extensive, high-detail results. Currently, Zohar and her vest are displayed at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, marking their journey’s beginning to the moon.