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A New Time-dependent Model for the Martian Radiation EnvironmentManned space activities have been until present time limited to the near-Earth environment, most of them to low Earth orbit (LEO) scenarios, with only some of the Apollo missions targeted to the Moon. In current times most human exploration and development of space (HEDS) activities are related to the development of the International Space Station (ISS), and therefore take place in the LEO environment. A natural extension of HEDS activities will be going beyond LEO, and reach asteroids, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Kuiper belt and the outskirts of the Solar System. Such long journeys onboard spacecraft outside the protective umbrella of the geomagnetic field will require higher levels of protection from the radiation environment found in the deep space for both astronauts and equipment. So, it is important to have available a tool for radiation shielding which takes into account the radiation environments found all along the interplanetary space and at the different bodies encountered in the Solar System. Moreover, the radiation protection is one of the two NASA highest concerns and priorities. A tool integrating different radiation environments with shielding computation techniques especially tailored for deep space mission scenario is instrumental in view of this exigency. In view of manned missions targeted to Mars, for which radiation exposure is one of the greatest problems and challenges to be tackled, it is of fundamental importance to have available a tool which allows to know which are the particle flux and spectra at any time at any point of the Martian surface. With this goal in mind, a new model for the radiation environment to be found on the planet Mars due to Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) has been developed. Solar modulated primary particles rescaled for Mars conditions are transported within the Martian atmosphere, with temporal properties modeled with variable timescales, down to the surface, with altitude and backscattering patterns taken into account. The tool allows analysis for manned Mars landing missions, as well as planetary science studies, e.g. subsurface water and volatile inventory studies. This Mars environmental model is available through the SIREST website, a project of NASA Langley Research Center.
Document ID
20030066742
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
G De Angelis
(Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia, United States)
M S Clowdsley
(Langley Research Center Hampton, Virginia, United States)
R C Singleterry
(Langley Research Center Hampton, Virginia, United States)
J W Wilson
(Langley Research Center Hampton, Virginia, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
July 25, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Sixth International Conference on Mars
Publisher: LPI
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
3249
Meeting Information
Meeting: Sixth International Conference on Mars
Location: Pasadena, CA
Country: US
Start Date: July 20, 2003
End Date: July 25, 2003
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Institute
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC1-404
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC5-679
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Use by or on behalf of the US Gov. Permitted.
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