European astronauts to monitor their radiation exposure with ASRO’s instruments

The 2022 Artemis program launched the Orion spacecraft, which had five of ASRO’s EAD radiation monitors mounted on its walls. The monitors will next be used in the next phase of the Artemis program on the Lunar Gateway space station, which is planned as a permanent base in lunar orbit.

The new project will develop portable versions of the EAD radiation monitors to be attached directly to the astronauts’ spacesuits. About the size of a mobile phone, the devices will have improved battery life and additional features, including wireless data transmission.

ASRO’s devices will be used to safeguard the work of European astronauts in space, both on the International Space Station and on future Artemis missions to the Moon. The radiation measurement equipment will be made available to the astronauts via ESA.

The long-term objective of the Artemis program is to prepare for manned missions to Mars.

“It’s really great to be part of the Artemis program, which could take humanity further than ever before. Radiation is a major threat to humans in space travel. To be successful, we need accurate information about radiation in space so that astronauts can survive in extraordinary conditions,” says Jussi Lehti, CEO of ASRO.