NASA scientists have developed a new device to monitor harmful radiation exposure, which may help keep astronauts safe during deep-space missions such as the manned mission to Mars.
Neutron radiation is created when the high-energy neutron particles from the sun and outside our solar system interact with other particles or matter, such as a spacecraft or a planetary surface. However, they are only viable for about 13 minutes before they decay into charged particles.
The Fast Neutron Spectrometer is comprised of an aluminum housing with a plastic scintillator that slows down a neutron when it hits the device and re-emits the energy in the form of light.
To be launched on the fifth re-supply mission undertaken by Orbital ATK — an American aerospace and defence manufacturer — to the International Space Station (ISS), the Fast Neutron Spectrometer is designed to detect and measure the energy of neutrons, which are known to be specifically harmful to humans.
The devicewill monitor neutrons for six months, sending data for any neutron strikes to a laptop computer on the station.
Even though the space station’s radiation environment is not considered “deep space,” the spectrometer is a new capability ready for validation in a space environment.
