Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31259: Light to Measure Radiation: The Fiber-optic Active Dosimeter

Radiation is one of the greatest dangers astronauts face in space. Earth’s atmosphere shields us from most of the harmful radiation coming from the sun and deep space, but in orbit, astronauts need advanced protection and constant monitoring. Enter the Fiber-optic Active Dosimeter, a cutting-edge experiment from ESA that uses light to measure radiation levels aboard the International Space Station.

Led by Dr. Sylvain Girard and developed by CNES, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, iXblue, and even CERN, this technology uses a fiber-optic system to detect radiation. Traditional radiation sensors are bulky and limited, but this new system is compact, lightweight, and more accurate in capturing real-time data.

The dosimeter works by detecting changes in light within special optical fibers when exposed to radiation. This helps scientists measure both the type and amount of radiation present. It’s been used in numerous expeditions (65 through 74), ensuring a thorough test under varying space conditions.

Understanding radiation exposure is critical not just for protecting astronauts today, but also for planning future missions to the Moon and Mars. A better dosimeter means better safety strategies, making long-duration missions more feasible.

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