AstroRad Vest: Protection from Space Radiation

What is AstroRad?

AstroRad is a wearable radiation-shielding vest developed for astronauts by the Israeli company StemRad, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and space agencies. Its primary purpose is to protect astronauts travelling beyond Earth’s magnetic field from solar radiation.

Key Features of AstroRad

• Main Objective: Protects astronauts from harmful solar particles and radiation. 
• Targeted Areas: Provides greater protection to sensitive areas such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. 
• Sensitive Tissues: Prioritises protection of organs and tissues such as the lungs, bone marrow, colon, stomach, breasts, and ovaries. 
• Special Material: Uses a hydrogen-rich polymer that can effectively reduce exposure to high-energy particles and limit secondary radiation. 
• Smart Shielding: Uses protective layers of varying thickness to provide maximum protection with minimum weight. 
• Scale-like Structure: Individual shielding elements are arranged in a scale-like structure, allowing astronauts to move comfortably. 
• Weight Reduction: Instead of heavily shielding the entire spacecraft, protection is concentrated around the body's most vulnerable areas. 

Testing by NASA

• 2019–2020: AstroRad was tested by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). 
• 2022: It was tested during NASA’s Artemis I mission using two human-body-like mannequins, Helga and Zohar. 

Studies based on data from Artemis I found that AstroRad:

• Could reduce effective radiation exposure by about 60% during a solar storm similar to the 1972 event. 
• Could reduce radiation exposure by about 40% during a solar storm similar to the 1989 event. 

Significance

• AstroRad could enhance astronaut safety during future Moon and Mars missions. 
• During solar storms, it may allow astronauts to continue certain activities instead of having to remain completely inside heavily shielded shelters.

Limitation

• AstroRad is primarily designed to provide protection against Solar Particle Events (SPEs). 
• Protection against Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs), which originate outside the Solar System, remains a major challenge.