Topical Discussion Meeting - Radiation global monitoring and awareness: from the Earth to the Moon

Vladimir Kalegaev (Moscow State University, Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics); Piers Jiggens (European Space Agency)
Tuesday 6/11, 14:00-15:15
MTC 00.03

During recent years new lunar exploration programs have been announced by the key players in Space Industry: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA. Robotic missions are scheduled during the 2020s. Human spaceflights are also planned in the near future. It is possible that the plans of the various space agencies are sufficiently co-aligned such that there could be future joint lunar missions and a possible lunar space station in the near-Moon space and/or at the Moon surface.

To fulfil these plans it is necessary to estimate the radiation risks related to Earth-Moon flights and to the staying on-board a lunar Station. Preliminary analysis of radiation conditions is needed to specify the mission dates, durations, orbital parameters and so on. Space weather phenomena like solar flares, geomagnetic storms, solar proton events should be taken into account in an operational context. Permanent space environment monitoring accompanied by calculations in terms of operational space weather models should be provided during the mission. For joint missions it will be important to agree on how to specify the environment and how to treat forecasts of radiation storms operationally.

The main goal of this meeting is to outline space weather risks related to future robotic and human flights to the Moon. The main topics that will be considered during the topical discussion meeting are: physical conditions in space between Earth's and Moon, impact of space radiation on satellite electronics and satellite crew, existing models on radiation environment and comparisons in the framework of Earth-Moon flight, proposal for mission details including flight, duration and orbit, mitigation of the space weather events during flight, discussion of the existing national and international standards related to space environment factors, and the influence of the radiation environment on spacecraft crew and on-board electronics.