Faculty Mentor
Sean Crouse, Francisco Crespo Cutillas
Abstract
Exposure to space weather in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environment poses significant challenges to both the integrity and longevity of orbital hardware, as well as the health of astronauts, driving the necessity for improved means of radiation shielding for future missions. With a 1U CubeSat formfactor, ROSISat is a planned LEO mission that aims to characterize the radiation shielding capabilities of seven candidate materials: ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, boron nitride, carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes with polyethylene fibers, carbon fiber reinforced composite, and aerographene, as well as two control materials: aluminum 6061 and ep33. By comparing the shielding performance of each composite and constituent material, ROSISat will place a specific focus on correlating how molecular structure and elemental composition influence radiation shielding. Further, current simulations do not account for differences in molecular structure when analyzing shielding properties, thus emphasizing the necessity of in-situ testing. The ROSISat mission is projected to be flight-ready by 2028 and has direct implications for future Earth-orbiting missions, including advancing the strength and reliability of shielding for unmanned and manned spacecraft, EVA suits, and long-term habitats.
Recommended Citation
Patterson, Chase; Blanton, Jacob L.; and Nager, Kylie
(2025)
"Payload Selection to Correlate Shielding Performance with Molecular Structure and Elemental Composition for ROSISat: the Radiation Orbital Shielding Investigation Satellite,"
Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 9
, Article 11.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/beyond/vol9/iss1/11