THERMAL NEUTRON RADIATION POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO BOTH EQUIPMENT AND PEOPLE IN THREE AEROSPACE ENVIRONMENTS: FISSION SURFACE POWER (REACTOR-EMITTED NEUTRONS CAN ACTIVATE NEARBY REGOLITH AND HARM NEARBY ASTRONAUTS) EXTRATERRESTRIAL HABITATS (EXISTING SHIELDING CAN COUNTER-INTUITIVELY INCREASE NEUTRON RADIATION) AND HIGH-ALTITUDE AVIATION (COSMIC RADIATION-PRODUCED NEUTRONS CAN INDUCE A SINGLE EVENT UPSET IN CRITICAL ELECTRONICS). CONTEMPORARY RADIATION SHIELDS DEVELOPED FOR AEROSPACE CANNOT READILY STOP SUCH NEUTRONS. USING TERRESTRIAL NEUTRON RADIATION SHIELDING WOULD RESULT IN PARASITIC MASS THAT IS THESE SHIELDS WOULD ONLY PROTECT FROM NEUTRONS AND THEREBY REDUCE AVAILABLE PAYLOAD MASS.

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators