Radiation vest may become a carry-on for future moon crews
A study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances reports that a radiation-shielding vest worn around the moon by a female test dummy during NASA’s 2022 Artemis I mission could drastically cut the radiation exposure astronauts face during severe solar storms. The findings came from a U.S., German, and Israeli research team.
A version of the vest had been tested aboard the International Space Station before the Artemis I flight. The Artemis I mission itself was an uncrewed debut flight in late 2022; no one was aboard. That mission paved the way for the return to the moon in April by a four-person flyby crew on Artemis II.
The vest did not travel with the four-person Artemis II crew on that April flyby mission, since the 10-day flight had limited room. The team reported that the shielding garment could keep lunar crews safe when solar storms strike and even allow them to venture beyond their shelters if necessary.
Radiation remains one of the biggest threats to astronauts as NASA works toward establishing a moon base, the researchers wrote. The vest may wind up as a carry-on for future moon crews.