Active dosimetric measurements on shuttle flights

G D Badhwar; A Konradi; A Hardy; L A Braby

doi:10.1016/1359-0189(92)90078-a

Active dosimetric measurements on shuttle flights

Int J Rad Appl Instrum D. 1992 Jan;20(1):13-20. doi: 10.1016/1359-0189(92)90078-a.

Authors

G D Badhwar¹, A Konradi, A Hardy, L A Braby

Collaborators

G D Badhwar², A Hardy²

Affiliations

¹ National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058.
² JSC

PMID: 11537524
DOI: 10.1016/1359-0189(92)90078-a

Abstract

A tissue-equivalent proportional counter spectrometer capable of measuring the absorbed dose and dose distribution as a function of linear energy transfer (LET) and time, for all penetrating radiation in space, is described. This instrument weighs about 0.7 kg and was flown on the STS-31 (28.5 degrees x 620 km) flight of the Space Shuttle, 24-29 April 1990. The measured total dose is in excellent agreement with the calculations based on the AP8MAX model of the trapped radiation belt protons. The observed LET frequency distribution is also in excellent agreement with calculations based on this model. Active instruments can provide more detailed dosimetry for crew risk assessment than the thermoluminescent detectors or a plastic track detector system.

MeSH terms

Cosmic Radiation*
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Linear Energy Transfer
Models, Theoretical
Protons*
Radiation Monitoring / instrumentation*
Radiation Monitoring / methods
Radiation Monitoring / statistics & numerical data*
Space Flight / instrumentation*

Substances

Protons