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Deployed Electromagnetic Radiation Deflector Shield
Creating a Zone of Minimum Radiation and Magnetic/Plasma Effects for Spacecraft
Spaceflight outside of the Earth's protective magnetic field is dangerous from a cosmic radiation perspective. Inside Earth's magnetic field, where the manned International Space Station (ISS) orbits, the radiation encountered is minimal and almost all is deflected by our planet's magnetic fields. However, outside that protective shield, the Sun's solar wind (high energy radiation, solar energetic particles or SEPs) consisting of protons, electrons, alpha particles and plasmas continuously bombards the spacecraft for the months or years of spaceflight. On occasion the Sun produces a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) that vastly increases the energy and volume of this radiation. These particles damage human DNA as well as living tissue and can destroy sensitive electronics. The Deployed Electromagnetic Radiation Deflector Shield (DERDS) provides a magnetic field that will deflect SEPs and CMEs and other harmful solar and cosmic rays away from a manned spacecraft, robotic spacecraft, or manned extra-planetary base stations using an electromagnet that is deployed between the spacecraft/station and the source of radiation and creates a magnetosphere or zone of minimal radiation in which the spacecraft or base station would reside.
Document ID
20230018480
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Other - Technology Transfer
External Source(s)
KSC-14544 / KSC-TOPS-97
Authors
Richard Williams
(Self Employed)
Date Acquired
December 20, 2023
Publication Date
January 12, 2024
Subject Category
Space Radiation
Solar Physics
Funding Number(s)
OTHER: Self Employed gave NASA Patent
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Use by or on behalf of the US Gov. Permitted.
Patent
10,583,939
Patent Application
Technical Review
NASA Technical Management
Keywords
Patent
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