For release: 10-07-03
Photo release #: 03-183

New NASA facility will help protect space crews from radiation

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Dr. Raj Kaul examines "bricks" of radiation shielding material made in his composites laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Kaul, a member of the Space Radiation Shielding Program team, is investigating the effectiveness of material used to shield spacecraft from harmful space radiation. Radiation shielding materials will be tested at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. Scientists will place the material in the path of radiation produced by accelerators and measure how well it blocks or absorbs the particles. This radiation simulates the harsh space radiation environment experienced by astronauts. (NASA/MSFC/Doug Stoffer)

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The blueprint of life, DNA's double helix, left, is found in the cells of everything from bacteria to astronauts. Exposure to radiation, right, such as X-rays or heavy ion particles, can damage DNA and cause dire consequences both to the organism itself and to future generations. One of NASA's main goals is to develop better radiation shielding materials to protect astronauts from destructive radiation in space. This is particularly important for long space missions. NASA has selected researchers to study materials that provide better shielding. This research is managed by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research and is supported by the Microgravity Science and Applications Department at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. (Frank Cucinotta, NASA/JSC, Prem Saganti, Lockheed Martin)