Space
Dosimetry

The Space-GM project was an experiment designed by REMRED Ltd. that aimed to design and develop a GM counter system for sounding rockets and to quantify the cosmic radiation up to the maximum altitude of the REXUS rocket. Our team measured the direction dependence of the cosmic radiation and the altitude dependence of the count rates. Thus enabling an estimate of the dose rate altitude dependence based on the GM calibrations. Space radiation poses one of the most important risks during long-term crewed missions. The radiation environment in space is highly variable and very complex; there is no single dosimeter or one single method to determine the dose to the astronauts in this radiation field. Instead, a wide variety of dosimeter types (sensitive to different components and particle energies) and modelling (radiation transport calculations) are needed to estimate the dose to the members of the crew. As part of the activity, we develop the TRIPIL Combined TRITEL and PILLE Next Generation Space Dosimetry System for the Hungarian Research Astronaut Programme (HUNOR) including the Hungarian TRITEL and PILLE space dosimetry experimental and service system heritage and lessons learned from related ISS operations. The components of the system will be the 2nd generation TRITEL and the 5th generation PILLE system to be used for monitoring the radiation field complemented by a detector package of passive dosimeters (thermoluminescent and solid-state nuclear track detectors) for control and for determining the Linear Energy Transfer (LET) spectrum of particles also in the range not measured by TRITEL and PILLE. PSDS from future space industry applications, the technology can benefit Nuclear Environment Monitoring efforts too, identifying contaminated areas, localising radiation sources, protecting humans from radiation and operating onboard drones for radiation mapping.