Vest that US-Israeli startup helped make can cut astronauts’ exposure in solar storms, study suggests
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (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.Scientists reported Wednesday on the radiation-shielding vest worn around the moon by a female test dummy in 2022. No one was aboard that Artemis I debut flight, which paved the way for humanity’s long-awaited return to the moon in April by a flyby crew of four.Radiation remains one of the biggest threats to astronauts as NASA works toward a moon base. Shielding garments could keep lunar crews safe when solar storms strike and even allow them to venture beyond their shelters if necessary, the US, German and Israeli team reported in the journal Science Advances.A version of the vest was previously tested on the International Space Station. It didn’t travel with the Artemis II astronauts since it…
A new study indicates that a protective vest, developed by US-Israeli startup StemRad and Lockheed Martin, could significantly reduce astronaut radiation exposure during severe solar storms. The AstroRad vest was tested on a manikin named Zohar during NASA's uncrewed Artemis I lunar mission in 2022, while a vest-less manikin, Helga, served as a control. Scientists simulated the vest's effectiveness against extreme solar particle events, finding it could reduce radiation doses by approximately 60% in a 1972-level storm and nearly 40% in a 1989-level event. According to lead author Jordan Houri, this was "the largest experiment ever conducted to determine astronaut radiation exposure beyond low-Earth orbit." The vest, designed to cover vulnerable organs, is crucial for future long-duration lunar and Mars missions, where astronauts face higher radiation risks than in low-Earth orbit.
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