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Japan conducts space radiation measurement experiment

Xinhua, July 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japan has accomplished a space radiation measurement experiment outside the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo," announced the Japanese space agency on Tuesday.

"The first Free-Space PADLES (Passive Dosimeter for Life- Science Experiments in Space) experiment intended to investigate the space radiation dose outside the Japanese Experiment Module ' Kibo' was conducted from June 1-15, 2015," said Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in a release.

PADLES is the Japanese dosimeter developed by JAXA and it consists of a dosimeter and an automated measurement and analysis system.

For this experiment, PADLES, the dosimeter exclusively developed in Japan was renovated for use in the exposed space environment. PADLES is attached to the edge of the Kibo's robotic arm, the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System ( JEMRMS), in order to measure the radiation dose in space at an altitude of 400 km.

By comparing the doses measured between the exterior and interior sides of Kibo, an evaluation of the radiation shielding capability of Kibo's hull wall becomes possible. "This marks the first time ever that the radiation shielding of an on-orbit ISS module could be actually evaluated," said JAXA.

PADLES will be shipped to the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) for analysis after its return to earth.

During this technology demonstration mission, the space radiation environment in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and the hull wall capability of Kibo as compared to its internal environment will be closely evaluated.

The results of this experiment using PADLES will provide basic data useful for the risk assessment of Extravehicular Activities ( EVA), and the assessment and optimization of hull wall thickness for manned spacecraft.

The next experiment is scheduled in March 2016 or later. Endi