Flexible Radiation Shielding Garment for Space Crew Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Space missions beyond low Earth orbit face challenges in protecting crew members from ionizing radiation due to the lack of Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere, as current shielding solutions are impractical, and pharmaceuticals are unstable and ineffective against high-energy radiation.
Innovation Solution
A personal radiation protection device in the form of flexible garments with embedded shield elements, including polymer-based substrates and liquid-fillable compartments, designed to provide differential shielding to various body regions, complementing the body's internal self-shielding to achieve specific attenuation levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire crew module is shielded with large quantities of shielding material, then radiation protection is improved, but spacecraft mass increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the shielding system into modular panels that can be selectively positioned and deployed. Instead of shielding the entire crew module, only critical areas are protected through modular panel placement, reducing total material mass while maintaining essential radiation protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies shielding selectively to specific regions of the spacecraft where radiation protection is most critical, rather than uniformly shielding the entire structure. This localized approach optimizes the radiation protection-to-mass ratio by concentrating shielding material where it provides maximum benefit.
2Reliability
If magnetic field strength is increased to 10-20 tesla for compact deflection, then radiation deflection is improved, but harmful effects on crew health increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the magnetic shielding system by using lower, safer magnetic field strengths combined with extended deployment duration. This approach maintains radiation deflection effectiveness while eliminating the harmful health effects associated with high-intensity magnetic fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic shielding panels are deployed in advance before radiation events occur, creating a protective barrier that deflects radiation away from the crew. This proactive deployment allows the use of lower field strengths since the shielding is in place before exposure, cushioning the crew from both radiation and magnetic field effects.
3Reliability
If shielding material is added without increasing propulsion power, then radiation protection is improved, but travel time to destination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding system is designed to be dynamically deployable and reconfigurable rather than permanently fixed. Panels can be deployed only when needed for radiation protection, allowing the spacecraft to maintain optimal propulsion performance during normal operations while providing protection when required, thus avoiding extended travel time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively reduces radiation exposure to critical internal regions, enabling protection against acute and chronic radiation effects while allowing for mobility and flexibility, thus enhancing crew safety during space missions.
Implementation Method 1
each section complementarily attenuates self-shielding by internal structure between the region and an interior region of the body such that radiation at the interior region is attenuated to a predefined attenuation level
Data Source
AI summary
A device for protection of a body from radiation includes at least one flexible garment. Each section of the flexible garment is configured to shield a region of a surface of the body. Each section complementarily attenuates self-shielding by internal structure between the region and an interior region of the body such that radiation at the interior region is attenuated to a predefined attenuation level.