Radiation tests of the EMU spacesuit for the International SpaceStation using energetic protons

Journal Article · Mon Jun 04 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Radiation Measurements

OSTI ID:917326

Zeitlin, C; Heilbronn, L; Miller, J; Shavers, M

Measurements using silicon detectors to characterize theradiation transmitted through the EMU spacesuit and a human phantom havebeen performed using 155 and 250 MeV proton beams at the Loma LindaUniversity Medical Center (LLUMC). The beams simulate radiationencountered in space, where trapped protons having kinetic energies onthe order of 100 MeV are copious. Protons with 100 MeV kinetic energy andabove can penetrate many centimeters of water of other light materials,so that astronauts exposed to such energetic particles will receive dosesto their internal organs. This dose can be enhanced or reduced byshielding - either from the spacesuit or the self-shielding of the body -but minimization of the risk depends on details of the incident particleflux (in particular the energy spectrum) and on the dose responses of thevarious critical organs.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Director, Office of Science; National Aeronautics andSpace Administration
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 917326
• Report Number(s): LBNL--47656
• Journal Information: Radiation Measurements, Journal Name: Radiation Measurements Journal Issue: 9-10 Vol. 41; ISSN RMEAEP; ISSN 1350-4487
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CRITICAL ORGANS
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
KINETIC ENERGY
MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS
PROTON BEAMS
PROTONS
RADIATIONS
TRAPPED PROTONS
space radiation shielding EMU spacesuit