MATROSHKA-III

Radiation risk assessment for spaceflight

The exhibit shows the MATROSHKA experiment that was used on board the International Space Station (ISS) for the measurement of radiation exposure in a simulated human torso. The aim was to study the changes in the radiation dose received by human organs at various positions both within and outside the ISS and thereby increase knowledge about the radiation risk for human space missions. MATROSHKA flew on board the ISS from 2004 until 2011 and the experiment returned to Earth with the last Space Shuttle mission in 2011. The IBMP and DLR are currently working on a new and upgraded design of the MATROSHKA facility. This new design includes a full set of state-of-the-art radiation detectors provided by an international community of specialists, a new on-board computer and a new user interface for the cosmonauts. The MATROSHKA-III experiment aims to determine the radiation doses within a human torso, thereby increasing the knowledge and expertise needed for radiation risk assessments. These are required for long-duration space missions, with the final goal of being prepared for deep-space exploration missions. The upgraded MATROSHKA-III experiment is scheduled for launch to the ISS in 2021 and will enable measurement of the radiation doses during various experiment phases in the Russian segment of the ISS.

German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Thomas Berger · E-Mail thomas.berger@dlr.de · dlr.de/en