University Putra Malaysia in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) take one step ahead in developing a system that provides accurate method and effective data acquisition to help space scientist further strengthen the radiation countermeasure for astronaut safety in the International Space Station (ISS).

According to the Research Team, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Noramaliza Mohd Noor said, space radiation is one of the biggest challenges that can harm astronauts due to a long flight hour in space making them exposed to a high concentration of radiation levels thus an invention by a team of UPM Researchers from the Faculty of Engineering is one of the proactive steps taken in ensuring the better safety for astronaut and accurate data to reduce radiation exposure.

Radiation protection requires a meticulous and dedicated process to ascertain the outcomes that would represent the baseline data to stimulate the radiation safety in the international space station, she said.

According to Dr. Noramaliza, ISS crews are often at bodily impact risk due to the heavy ion radiation dose from unknown sources making it a challenge and a threat as it will further contribute to a communicable disease such as stroke, coronary artery disease and tumorigenesis.

This technology developed an automatic radiation monitoring system to promote an efficient, simple, and flexible monitoring process thus ensuring the optimisation safety of the crews in ISS is at low as reasonably achievable.

Interestingly, this innovation was conducted in KIBO Module from Japanese segment shows that the preliminary method obtained has been archived in the NASA and JAXA database and the results have been protected for future research.

This system comprises an automatic real time parameter setup and data acquisition that analyse the recording of different energy particles. It is specifically designed for a personal dosimetry module due to its high sensitivity.

This technology focuses on providing an accurate and effective method to serve as unique database information for scientists to design new protocols and guidelines of safety radiation in the space station and progress toward an effective radiation shield.

This invention provides numerous advantages for space station research namely serves as a unique database as the results obtained during solar minimum for 300 days shown is very peculiar, stressed on a strict compliance testing and safety parameters ensuring the high quality of database can be produced and recognised by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Moreover, this system is proven to have a high sensitivity recording of radiation thus allowing an accurate database of radiation reading for the scientist to analyse. This patented invention plays an important contribution in devising a new design of the KIBO module due to the new absorb radiation dose datasets provided.

Prof Dr Fathinul Fikri Ahmad Saad
Centre for Diagnostic Nuclear Imaging
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Email:  fathinulfikri@upm.edu.my

Date of Input: 30/06/2022 | Updated: 30/06/2022 | asrizam