Hydrogel Absorbs Cosmic Rays to Shield Astronauts in Space

Hydrogel is commonly found in everyday items like contact lenses, burn dressings, and hair gel. In the future, it could also serve as a protective barrier against harmful cosmic radiation for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Radiation exposure is a significant risk in space travel. Beyond Earth’s atmosphere, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) receive approximately 72 millisieverts (mSv) of cosmic radiation over a six-month mission—comparable to several years’ worth of exposure on Earth.

Increased Radiation Risks on a Mars Mission

The risk is even greater on a planned mission to Mars, where the spacecraft will travel beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field. Over a three-year journey, the crew could be exposed to more than 1,000 mSv of radiation—nearly 200 times the amount experienced on Earth.

Increasing speed can help reduce radiation exposure, but the primary defense is an effective shield that absorbs harmful radiation. Water, with its density and abundance of hydrogen atoms, is particularly good at this. Lining a spacecraft with water tanks would be a simple solution.

Challenges of Using Liquid Water as Shielding

However, water’s liquid state presents challenges. Under gravity, it can shift unpredictably, and in microgravity, it moves freely, creating gaps in protection. Even worse, leaks could lead to serious issues, from short-circuiting electrical systems to the unusual risk of astronauts drowning in space.

Researchers at Ghent University’s Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group (PBM) propose a solution: trapping water inside a highly absorbent super-absorbent polymer (SAP). This material rapidly soaks up water, expanding to several hundred times its dry weight to form a hydrogel. By using 3D printing, this hydrogel can be shaped into effective radiation shielding.

Hydrogel for Spacecraft and Spacesuit Protection

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), this hydrogel could serve as a stable, leak-proof shield for spacecraft and even be incorporated into spacesuits. This is crucial since a well-shielded spacecraft offers little protection once an astronaut steps outside. A suit lined with hydrogel would enable longer spacewalks and planetary EVAs. Even if punctured, the material would stay in place, giving the wearer time to return to safety. It could also potentially function as a self-sealing barrier, similar to the technology used in military aircraft fuel tanks.

“There is an ongoing search for lightweight radiation protection materials,” said Peter Dubruel. “In our Discovery activity, we successfully demonstrated that hydrogels are safe for use in space. Now, in this follow-up project, we are exploring different techniques to shape the material into 3D structures and scale up production, bringing us closer to industrial application.”

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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