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Intercomparison of radiation measurements on STS-63
G D Badhwar1, W Atwell, B Cash
1NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058-3696, USA.
Radiation Measurements
|November 1, 1996
Summary
Radiation exposure inside the Space Shuttle during STS-63 was measured. Crew doses varied, with trapped particles contributing significantly, differing from model predictions.
Area of Science:
- Space Science
- Radiation Physics
- Astrobiology
Background:
- The Shuttle-Mir Science Program aimed to foster international cooperation in space.
- Understanding the space radiation environment is critical for astronaut safety and mission planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the radiation environment within the Space Shuttle during STS-63.
- To compare in-situ measurements with model predictions for radiation dose and particle composition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a comprehensive suite of passive and active radiation detectors throughout the Space Shuttle.
- Employed tissue equivalent proportional counters (TEPC) and thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) for dose rate and quality factor measurements.
- Measured east-west dose variation using active solid-state detectors.
Main Results:
- Average crew exposure was 2265.8 microGy (273.98 microGy/day), with significant variation (factor of 1.4).
- Dose rate in Spacehab locker measured at 413.3 microGy/day, consistent between TEPC and TLDs.
- Observed dose rate from trapped particles was 302.7 microGy/day, approximately half of the AP8 model prediction.
- Galactic cosmic radiation dose rate agreed with model calculations; average quality factor was 2.33.
Conclusions:
- In-flight radiation measurements provide crucial data for validating and refining space radiation models.
- Discrepancies between measured and predicted trapped particle doses highlight the need for improved modeling.
- The radiation environment encountered on STS-63, particularly trapped particle contributions, has implications for future long-duration space missions.
