Shields-1 Preliminary Radiation Shielding Dosimetry in Polar Low Earth Orbit

NASA Langley Research Center Shields-1 has maintained operations in polar low earth orbit for over 6 months and continues taking radiation shielding dosimetry measurements with multiple dosimeters behind varying areal densities of radiation shielding from 1 to 6 g/cm2. On 16 December 2018, Rocket Lab USA
successfully placed Shields-1, an Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) XIX payload, into polar low earth orbit. Shields-1, a 3U CubeSat, contains three experiments: a radiation shielding dosimetry experiment with an aluminum baseline and atomic number (Z)-grade radiation shielding materials, a Z-grade radiation shielded electronics enclosure with dosimetry measurement, and resistance measurements on a charge dissipation film. Preliminary dosimetry data inside the spacecraft shows a significant reduction in total ionizing dose in comparison to Space Environment Information System (SPENVIS) Multi-Layered Shielding Simulation (MULASSIS) polar low earth orbit modeled total ionizing dose calculations. The Shields-1 dosimetry is also anticipated to provide radiation belt information, such as the South Atlantic Anomaly, and in polar low earth orbital regions, for multiple particle energies based on the shielding thicknesses in front of the multiple dosimeters onboard Shields-1. These recent dosimetry measurements are anticipated to provide a range of particle belt energetic data in polar low earth orbit in support of space research and radiation effects on spacecraft.