Space-tested plastic vest could slash astronaut radiation exposure during solar storms

Researchers sent two instrumented female torso simulators aboard the 2022 Artemis I mission, one clad in an AstroRad vest and the other left bare. The vest, constructed from high-density polyethylene and weighing 26 kilograms, is designed to protect bone marrow, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, breasts and ovaries. Sensors recorded radiation levels while the models traversed the inner Van Allen belt, allowing scientists to model performance during historic solar particle events.

Calculations showed a drop from 222 millisieverts to 87.5 millisieverts for the August 1972 storm—about a 60% reduction—and a 40% cut for the October 1989 event. Such shielding could spare astronauts several weeks of background radiation and help keep cumulative exposure under NASA’s 600-millisievert limit. The developers are now pursuing a modular vest that can be adjusted for different body sizes, reducing launch mass and enabling crew members to work safely during solar storms.