Simulation of Space Shuttle neutron measurements with FLUKA

FLUKA is an integrated particle transport code that has enhanced multigroup low-energy neutron transport capability similar to the well-known MORSE transport code. Gammas are produced in groups but many important individual lines are specifically included, and subsequently transported by the main FLUKA routines which use a modified version of EGS4 for electromagnetic (EM) transport. Recoil protons are also transported by the primary FLUKA transport simulation. The neutron cross-section libraries employed within FLUKA were supplied by Giancarlo Panini (ENEA, Italy) based upon the most recent data from JEF-1, JEF-2.2, ENDF/B-VI, JENDL-3, etc. More than 60 different materials are included in the FLUKA databases with temperature ranges including down to cryogenic temperatures. This code has been used extensively to model the neutron environments near high-energy physics experiment shielding. A simulation of the Space Shuttle based upon a spherical aluminum equivalent shielding distribution has been performed with reasonable results. There are good prospects for extending this calculation to a more realistic 3-D geometrical representation of the Shuttle including an accurate representation of its composition, which is an essential ingredient for the improvement of the predictions. A proposed project to develop a combined analysis and simulation package based upon FLUKA and the analysis infrastructure provided by the ROOT software is under active consideration. The code to be developed for this project will be of direct application to the problem of simulating the neutron environment in space, including the albedo effects.