NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview


Brief Summary

BTN-Neutron is an external facility that measures the exposure of ISS to neutron and gamma radiation that come from solar flares. This device helps researchers to improve current on-orbit radiation models and examine the complete radiation dose the astronauts and cosmonauts receive during EVAs.

Principal Investigator(s)

I G. Mitrofanov, Ph.D., Institute for Space Research, Moscow, Russia

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

Information Pending

Developer(s)
Information Pending

Sponsoring Space Agency

Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)

Sponsoring Organization

Information Pending

Research Benefits

Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration:

September 2006 - September 2010

Expeditions Assigned

14,15,16,17,18,19/20,21/22,23/24

Previous ISS Missions

Information Pending

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Experiment Description

Research Overview

Information Pending

Description

Building a physical model for generation of charged and neutral particles during solar flares. Developing a physical model of neutron albedo of the earth atmosphere with regard to helio- and geophysical environment, measurement point longitude and altitude effects, time of the day and lighting conditions, atmosphere conditions. Developing a physical model of neutron background in the vicinity of the ISS in different flight conditions, as well as recording space gamma bursts.

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Applications

Space Applications

Information Pending

Earth Applications

Information Pending

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Operations

Operational Requirements

Information Pending

Operational Protocols

Electronics unit BTN-ME; Spare BTN; BTN unit.

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Results/More Information

Experimental spectrometric investigations of neutron fields on the ISS will: clarify the on-orbit radiation environment models; clarify neutron source models in near-earth space environment and evaluate their contribution in a complete radiation dose received by cosmonauts during EVA; obtain data on high-energy neutron fluxes with energies up to 16 MeV coming from powerful solar flares with regard to albedo radiation of the Earth. Build an operational model of neutron background environment on the station. Clarify existing solar activity models. Obtain data on fluxes of rigid electromagnetic space rays component.

Measurement data on spatial and time distributions of radiation characteristics of space ionizing radiation (neutron and gamma components) outside the Service Module of the ISS RS; Correlation data on radiation environment parameters outside the Service Module of the ISS RS obtained through calculation with the results of measurements made by science hardware BTN-M1 and results of other Russian and international experiments. Measurement data on solar flare parameters in neutron and gamma range.

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Results Publications

Mitrofanov IG, Litvak M, Tretyakov V, Mokrousov M, Malakhov A, Vostrukhin A.  Neutron components of radiation environment in the near-Earth and near-Mars space. Planetary and Space Science. 2009 Dec; 57(14-15): 1993-1995. DOI: 10.1016/j.pss.2009.08.005.

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Ground Based Results Publications

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ISS Patents

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Related Publications

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Related Websites

Coordinating Scientific and Technical Council of the Russian Space Agency [Russian]

Energia - Science Research on the ISS Russian Segment

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Imagery

BTN ground test units. Image courtesy FSA.

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Prelaunch image of BTN hardware attached to external handrail mounting device.

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BTN-Neutron map illistrating the measured neutron flux environment as see from Earth orbit.

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The BTN-Neutron facility installed on the external surface of the ISS Service Module.

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