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Galactic cosmic ray environment predictions for the NASA BioSentinel mission.
S Rahmanian1, T C Slaba2, L A Braby3
1National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, 23666, United States.
Life Sciences in Space Research
|July 22, 2023
Summary
BioSentinel
Area of Science:
- Space biology and astrobiology
- Radiation physics and dosimetry
Background:
- The BioSentinel mission utilizes a nanosatellite to study yeast cells in deep space radiation.
- On-board dosimetry complements biological measurements by characterizing the radiation environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To predict galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposure for the BioSentinel payload before launch.
- To provide a baseline for validating computational radiation models with future in-situ measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an existing GCR environmental model to forecast radiation exposure.
- Quantified uncertainties associated with these pre-flight model predictions.
- Described a method for future radiation environment projections.
Main Results:
- Presented pre-launch predictions of GCR exposure for the BioSentinel mission.
- Established a framework for independent validation of radiation models using actual flight data.
- Quantified uncertainties in GCR exposure predictions.
Conclusions:
- Pre-flight modeling provides unbiased predictions for future validation.
- BioSentinel's dosimetry data will enable robust assessment of space radiation models.
- Accurate radiation environment characterization is crucial for interpreting biological effects in space.
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