Shielding from cosmic radiation possible with new polymeric material

14-Jul-05

Cosmic radiation is a complex mix of various forms of radiation generated by the stars - including the Sun. It travels through the universe to Earth. Majority of radiation reaching the Earth is deflected by its magnetic field. However, the intensity of the radiation increases significantly outside the reach of the Earth's magnetic field. Cosmic radiation can have a damaging effect on the human body and also cause malfunctions in electronic systems. Polymer materials developed by Bayer Materialscience offering efficient shielding from cosmic radiation may be used in space capsules and aircrafts instead of aluminum, subject to test results. These materials are expected to reduce the damaging effect cosmic radiation and are expected to be 30% lighter than aluminum. Researcher can now also simulate cosmic radiation quite realistically in experiments on Earth, providing valuable alternative to testing the materials in unmanned space flights. Cosmic radiation protection would be especially important on a manned mission to Mars, as the capsule would be exposed to a particularly high dose of radiation on the long journey through the vacuum of space.