Cosmic ray detection on the Foton-M2 satellite by a track etch detector stack

In the frame of the European Space Agency (ESA) project called ‘‘Biology and Physics in Space”, the returning satellite, Foton-M2, carried an open-to-space exposure platform outside of the satellite body, called as BIOPAN-5, loaded with exo-biological experiments and facilities for radiation dosimetry (RADO). One of the RADO experiments was dedicated to the detection of the primary galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and secondary neutrons by a track etch detector stack. The daily absorbed dose (D) and dose equivalent (H) were calculated from the experimental LET spectra (LET > 10 keV/lm). Under a shielding of 2.8 g/cm the averaged H was found to be 658 ± 8 lSv/d, with a quality factor (Q) of 6.2 ± 1.2. The LET spectra showed a local peak at 105 keV/lm suggesting that the majority of tracks were created by trapped protons as it has been predicted by calculations. The low LET dose of the cosmic radiation was determined by 4 TLD stacks, and the total dose was found to be 795 ± 14 lSv/d. 2008 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.