Radiation engineering analysis of shielding materials to assess their ability to protect astronauts in deep space from energetic particle radiation

Abstract

An analysis is performed on four typical materials (aluminum, liquid hydrogen, polyethylene, and water) to assess their impact on the length of time an astronaut can stay in deep space and not exceed a design basis radiation exposure of 150mSv. A large number of heavy lift launches of pure shielding mass are needed to enable long duration, deep space missions to keep astronauts at or below the exposure value with shielding provided by the vehicle. Therefore, vehicle mass using the assumptions in the paper cannot be the sole shielding mechanism for long duration, deep space missions. As an example, to enable the Mars Design Reference Mission 5.0 with a 400day transit to and from Mars, not including the 500day stay on the surface, a minimum of 24 heavy lift launches of polyethylene at 89,375lbm (40.54tonnes) each are needed for the 1977 galactic cosmic ray environment. With the assumptions used in this paper, a single heavy lift launch of water or polyethylene can protect astronauts for a 130day mission before exceeding the exposure value. Liquid hydrogen can only protect the astronauts for 160days. Even a single launch of pure shielding material cannot protect an astronaut in deep space for more than 180days using the assumptions adopted in the analysis. It is shown that liquid hydrogen is not the best shielding material for the same mass as polyethylene for missions that last longer than 225days.