Space radiation shielding - artificial sky

Prolonged space travel may not be possible without shielding the passengers against harmful radiation and providing a more earthlike environment.

New theories under development 2008

Abstract: Dangerous levels of radiation in outer space, or on the moon surface, may prevent long space trips or human colonization of Mars and the Moon, while long term living in space capsules or caves may become too unpleasant for human colonizers. What is needed is both radiation shielding and an environment simulating an open earth sky including living trees and flowers. Space radiation shielding usually involves thick layers of heavy metals, such as steel or lead, which is unacceptable because of their added weight to the spaceships. Simulating an open sky and living flowers with large video screens will not suffice. What is needed is the real warmth and brightness of real sunshine including the colors of sunset and sunrise. All this must be very inexpensive, lightweight, low power, and failure proof. A new theory may soon combine radiation shielding, for all forms of space radiation including meteorites, and the appearance of an open earth environment with real sunshine. The basic concept is a dark cloud floating in a summer sky. It reduces the sun’s brightness by orders of magnitude through light “scattering” rather than “absorption”. Every tiny water droplet in the cloud acts like a spherical lens to deflect the sunlight into a different direction until some of the sunlight is scattered back into space while some of the light penetrates the cloud as scattered light. Instead of water droplets the new theory uses tiny mirror surfaces inside metal spheres for light scattering. The imaginary spheres are formed in a metal grid grown like “macro-crystals” simulating the growth of chemical crystals. A first step is to mass-produce tiny spheres in a volatile material such as wax or plastics. The spheres are then poured into a mold and agitated by vibration until each sphere has reached its lowest energy state by aligning with its neighboring spheres. The spaces between the spheres are then filled with a material, like aluminum, titanium, or iron using electrolysis. The spaces where the spheres touch each other will remain open to provide access to neighboring spheres throughout the entire structure. The original sphere material, wax or plastics, is then removed by high heat evaporation. What is left is a framework or three-dimensional metal grid around the now empty spheres shapes. This three-dimensional metal grid is then finished by etching, heat treatment, or electro-plating with other metals such as reflective silver or radiation absorbing materials. The resulting three-dimensional structures provide radiation shielding, similar to light scattering in a rain cloud, by reflecting radiation randomly throughout the structure. Radiation shielding would work for any wavelength light, ranging from normal light to x-rays and even for micrometeorites. Sunlight falling onto the structure will be scattered throughout the entire structure to make it glow to simulate the earth sky.

Applications: The new materials are especially suited for building spaceships or construction of domes on mars or the moon. These surface dwelling structures would combine high strength with flexibility and very light weight with materials commonly found on mars or the moon. The structures may have walls glowing with scattered sunlight to simulate an earth sky and include living trees or flowers. High radiation and meteorite shielding may protect the spaceship crews during long space voyages. Glowing structures featuring light scattering may also find many novel applications in construction on earth.

Keywords: Macrocrystals, radiation shielding, Light scattering structures, optical materials

Available downloadable documents:

Research paper 2008 – Radiation shielding – MS Word doc (coming soon)

Website paper 2008 – Radiation shielding – Webpage htm (coming soon)

Slide show / tutorial 2008 – Radiation shielding, Space colonization – MS PowerPoint htm