Monte Carlo Analysis of Dosimetric Issues in Space Exploration

The Radiation protection is of paramount importance in the planning of human exploration activities in space. The related risks must be considered with respect to two aspects: devising a proper shielding and providing answers to the requirement of an effective dosimetry evaluation in astronaut’s activities. Both aspects have been considered using the Monte Carlo (MC) code MCNP 6.2 as the reference tool. As case study an application devised for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis program has been chosen. The project aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, envisioning the realization of an outpost that will serve as a steppingstone for space exploration endeavors. A Class III shelter, in situ resource utilization (ISRU) built habitat for the Moon, has been designed through computational methods and topology optimization techniques, and analyzed in terms of radiation shielding performances and the strictly related structural behavior. The outpost must be able to withstand temperature variations, micrometeorite impacts, and the absence of a substantial atmosphere. Any solution studied to respect the constraints must devise robust and innovative materials and techniques to create habitats that have as goal the shielding from the Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and from the solar flares to provide a safe and habitable environment at the time scales scheduled for the missions. Moreover, the outpost design must incorporate strategies for extracting and utilizing local resources. Overcoming such challenges will pave the way for the establishment of a sustainable human presence on the Moon and serve as a crucial leap for future space exploration missions.