PURPOSE To test and to develop Geant4 (Geometry And Tracking version 4) Monte Carlo hadronic models with focus on applications in a space radiation environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Monte Carlo simulations have been performed using the Geant4 toolkit. Binary (BIC), its extension for incident light ions (BIC-ion) and Bertini (BERT) cascades were used as main Monte Carlo generators. For co...

The goals of space radiation health research are to understand qualitatively and quantitatively the ionizing radiations present in the space environment, identify qualitatively and quantitatively the risks associated with these radiations, and discover countermeasures to mitigate these risks. The articles that follow address each of these three components of space radiation health research. Thi...

We present a list of formulas describing classical radiation of the rank s tensor field from an accelerated point-like source in flat space-time of arbitrary even dimension d. This allows straightforward evaluating the total intensity and radiated momentum for any s and d algorithmically, by hands or with the help of a computer (e.g. with an attached MAPLE program). Practical application of for...

During space flight, careful and complete physical measurements are made to characterize the radiation dose that is received by the astronauts. Biological changes are also evaluated in the astronauts to determine any biological changes induced by radiation during the space flight. Biological evaluations are done both before and after the space flight to ensure that the effects were induced by t...

Future deep space mission and International Space Station exposures will be dominated by the high-charge and -energy (HZE) ions of the Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR). A few mammalian systems have been extensively tested over a broad range of ion types and energies. For example, C3H10T1/2 cells, V79 cells, and Harderian gland tumors have been described by various track-structure dependent response m...

The projected radiation levels within the International Space Station (ISS) have been criticized by the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel in their report to the NASA Administrator. Methods for optimal reconfiguration and augmentation of the ISS shielding are now being developed. The initial steps are to develop reconfigurable and realistic radiation shield models of the ISS modules, develop compu...

Since the early times of human spaceflight radiation has been, besides the influence of microgravity on the human body, recognized as a main health concern to the astroand cosmonauts. The radiation environment that the crew experiences during a space flight differs significantly to that found on earth due to particles of greater potential for biological damage. High-energetic charged particles,...

Evaluation and monitoring of the cancer risk from space radiation exposure is a crucial requirement for the success of long-term space missions. One important task in the risk calculation is to properly weigh the various components of space radiation dose according to their assumed contribution to the cancer risk relative to the risk associated with radiation of low ionization density. Currentl...

Concerns about the biological effects of space radiation are increasing rapidly due to the perspective of long-duration manned missions, both in relation to the International Space Station (ISS) and to manned interplanetary missions to Moon and Mars in the future. As a preparation for these long duration space missions it is important to ensure an excellent capability to evaluate the impact of ...