Going to space is one of the greatest achievements of mankind and astronauts on lunar and Mars missions need to repeatedly judge their radiation risk and exposure. The faculty and midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) are developing a small device called microdosimeter to do exactly that, as well as alert crews during high-radiation events. Dr. Vince Pisacane, a researcher on the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI)’s Technology Development Team. “Travel away from the Earth’s surface makes it essential to monitor the types and levels of radiation exposure as Moon and Mars have no atmosphere and no global magnetic field, astronauts will not have the protection from radiation.” Pisacane and his colleagues have developed two systems; one for ground-based lab testing and one for use in space. The microdosimeter flight instrument will be tested aboard the USNA student-built MidSTAR-1. The goal of the project is to reduce the size of the sensors to the size of a deck of cards. The flight instrument consists of three sensors and an electronic output module that collects and stores data for transmission to the ground. One sensor will be near the exterior of the spacecraft and the other two housed at different locations inside. Of the interior sensors, one resides in a block of polyethylene, which will simulate the effect of radiation on tissue.

Developed by human factor experts, graphic artists, and radiation protection experts, it was tested on 1,650 people in various countries.
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