Running Head: Implementing Polyethylene Radiation Protection on the ISS 1

Implementation of ALARA radiation protection on the ISS through polyethylene shielding

augmentation of the Service Module Crew Quarters

George French and Zane Vandivere

9/27/18
Implementing Polyethylene Radiation Protection on the ISS 2

Abstract

Astronauts, such as those on the International Space Station (ISS), are exposed to more

occupational radiation than any other people. They are also exposed to a variety of radiation

forms that other people on Earth, such employees at nuclear power plants, are not. Once humans

leave the protective magnetosphere of Earth, they are bombarded by all new forms of radiation

that their bodies are not accustomed to, such as radiation from supernova, black holes, the sun,

and more. Guidelines and requirements, such as the as the “as low as reasonably achievable”

(ALARA) precept, which requires that radiation exposure be limited and monitored, help keep

astronauts safe and help meet federal requirements for radiation exposure levels. There are many

methods to limit radiation exposure in the ISS, including reinforcement of physical radiation

shields. There are also new materials and methods surfacing that could improve the current state

of radiation shielding. Chief among these are magnetic deflection, meant to mimic what the

Earth itself does using powerful electromagnets, and alternative shielding materials that are more

inexpensive. As the technology surrounding electromagnetism is still undergoing scientific

research, the current most viable solution on the market is physical shielding. Out of all the

known elements, hydrogen best meets the requirements for thickness and particle size. Being the

most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen is quite easy to find. It is especially common in

plastics, such as the ones in recycled items. There are also other options for plastic shields. One

possible effective choice for physical shielding could be polyethylene, a plastic with a high

hydrogen concentration.
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Materials and Methods

On Earth, radiation exposure is typically limited by distancing yourself from the radiation

source, limiting time exposed to radiation, and creating physical barriers to stop the radiation. In

space, the methods used are somewhat different, but can still be put in similar groups. Astronauts

can limit their exposure timewise by limiting their mission duration, phasing their missions to

about 11 years cycles to avoid solar particle events, and performing extravehicular activity

(EVA) with the solar aspect angle (SAA) in mind to avoid direct exposure to the sun as much as

possible. Radiation exposure can also be limited by spacecraft changing their location and

orientation. While in low Earth orbit, lower altitudes, while increasing drag, decrease radiation

exposure. Shielding can be installed on the spacecraft to block radiation. For physical shielding,

materials with low atomic numbers work the best to reduce cosmic radiation. Polyethylene is a

plastic that is relatively inert and is made of hydrogen and carbon, elements with low mass

numbers. Polyethylene is also cheap and easy to manufacture. However, it has a density of about

0.97 g/cm3, which is low enough that volume would be somewhat difficult to deal with.
Implementing Polyethylene Radiation Protection on the ISS 4

Table 1. This table provides the data collected from preliminary measurements with different

thicknesses of a polyethylene shield. The percentage of radiation exposure for each test is also

shown.

Figure 1. This is the hypothetical placement of the prototype polyethylene shield plating in the

crew quarters. It’s thickness is 4.8 * 10^-2 cm, the appropriate thickness for the duration of their

flight and the radiation levels they are expected to be exposed to.
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Analysis

Provided the above data in Table 1 and Figure 1, it is clear to see that as the thickness of

the polyethylene shield goes up, the radiation exposure levels go down. As radiation levels go

down, the probability of an astronaut getting radiation sickness also goes down. This means that

the material is not the only reduction factor of radiation levels; it is also the barrier thickness.

Thin materials are more permeable than thick ones because the atoms that repel charged

particles are not as strong on their own. Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are especially good at

permeating thin materials. In fact, if a material is not thick enough, GCRs can shatter into the

atoms of the material and cause a collision that ejects even more particles. This is known as

secondary radiation. In many cases, this is actually more harmful than the initial form of

radiation. This secondary shower can be prevented by changing two key properties: the thickness

of the material and the particle size of the material. That is why hydrogen, which is abundant in

polyethylene, is perfect for this. It’s particle size matches that of most GCRs, so it does not

release much, if any, secondary radiation. It is the most abundant element in the universe and it is

easy to work with. A shield made of hydrogen is vastly cheaper than one of equal thickness made

of lead, which is also slightly toxic. A simple polyethylene shield placed inside a spacecraft can

cut the radiation exposure down by large amounts. One example of this is the crew quarters

(CQ), where astronauts on the ISS sleep, rest, and sometimes work. However, the CQs have

relatively thin shielding. The thickness of this shielding and the large amount of time the crew

spends in them makes the CQs perfect candidates for increased shielding. A proposed

polyethylene shield could reduce exposure by up to 23%. Just a 20% decrease in radiation

would reduce exposure for astronauts by 20 microsieverts or higher. This percentage will only

rise as research continues.

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References

Implementation of ALARA radiation protection on the ISS through polyethylene shielding

augmentation of the Service Module Crew Quarters. (2004, April 02). Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117704002078

Wall, M. (2016, March 08). Plastic Could Protect Astronauts from Deep-Space Radiation.

Retrieved from https://www.space.com/21561-space-exploration-radiation-protection-

plastic.html