Lightweight multilayered shielding will find application in the commercial sector in reducing collateral damage from heavy charged particles currently emerging as a therapeutic approach in nuclear medicine. The shielding will lead to decreased fatigue among medical personnel required to wear heavy protective garments during radiological procedures. Workers in industrial facilities using radiation for materials-processing and in nuclear power facilities will also benefit from more comfortable garments having reduced weight and thermal stress. Department of Defense and Homeland Security applications include protection of soldiers, first responders and emergency medical personnel against high energy gamma radiation and neutrons resulting from so-called dirty bombs as well as from hazards brought about through accidental release of radiological materials. It is also expected that the shielding can be fabricated into temporary shelters used by defense personnel and considered for use in the protection of individuals in case of a nuclear or radiological event. Potential applications can also be found in protecting crew and others who frequently fly at high elevations where the effects of GCR may be hazardous.
The proposed multi-layered radiation shielding will find application in meeting the needs of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA in protecting astronauts and settlers from galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) hazards resulting from long-duration operations on the lunar surface. It is expected that the multi-layered shields will provide an approach to GCR shielding of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (Orion), pressurized lunar rovers, the mobile human habitat and human habitats not amenable to regolith radiation protection, and the long duration surface suit as well as other extravehicular activity ensembles. The reductions in weight and volume afforded by the multi-layered shielding would be welcomed for space transport and mobile shielding systems. Other missions supported by NASA, such as the Exploration Technology Development Program, could also make use of the multi-layered materials in low earth orbit or in other orbital paths traversing high radiation regions of space.
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