title: Comparison of graphite, aluminum, and TransHab shielding material characteristics in a high-energy neutron field.
abstract: Space radiation transport models clearly show that low atomic weight materials provide a better shielding protection for interplanetary human missions than high atomic weight materials. These model studies have concentrated on shielding properties against charged particles. A light-weight, inflatable habitat module called TransHab was built and shown to provide adequate protection against micrometeoroid impacts and good shielding properties against charged particle radiation in the International Space Station orbits. An experiment using a tissue equivalent proportional counter, to study the changes in dose and lineal energy spectra with graphite, aluminum, and a TransHab build-up as shielding, was carried out at the Los Alamos Nuclear Science Center neutron facility. It is a continuation of a previous study using regolith and doped polyethylene materials. This paper describes the results and their comparison with the previous study.
authors.affiliation: NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058 3696, USA.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Badhwar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huff
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thibeault
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum; D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D006108:Graphite; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008422:Materials Testing; D009502:Neutrons; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019445:Solar Activity; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation; D018531:Spacecraft / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D011095:Polyethylenes; D006108:Graphite; D000535:Aluminum