Advanced Climatology Innovations for Space Radiation Environments

The Space Ionizing Radiation Environment and Effects Advanced Climatology (SIRE2-AC) tool will enhance the capabilities of space climatology, system design, and system performance evaluation. The SIRE2 toolkit will be modified to interface with the new iPATH tool, using the current conditions around the Sun to propagate the radiation environment to the Earth over the next few days. The radiation environment can then be propagated into the Earth’s geomagnetic field and an electronic part using the models available in SIRE2. The SIRE2-AC proposal is submitted to the Space Weather Research-to-Operations/Operations-to-Research (R2O/O2R) Technology Development subtopic and will provide an innovative tool to the space weather forecasting. The new capability for SIRE2 will provide enhanced forecasts of the energetic particle conditions encounter by spacecraft within Earth’s magnetosphere. SIRE2 can calculate the environment inside the Earth’s magnetosphere using the built-in geomagnetic cutoff models. Arbitrary trajectories can be read into SIRE2, allowing for environment calculations anywhere in the Earth’s magnetosphere, including Lunar space environments. The proposed Phase I effort will result in a demonstration of the SIRE2 toolkit that is able to use iPATH databases of the solar radiation component. This Phase I effort will also develop a synthesized SPE environment from the iPATH model for a selected significant SPE event. One such candidate events would be the August 1972 event.

When the goals of the Phase I effort are completed, NASA will have access to a tool that can provide enhanced forecasts for any mission to space. The demonstrative version of SIRE2 will be to use the iPATH output for the current conditions of the Sun. The current NASA programs, projects or missions that could benefit from this effort are the Artemis Mission, International Space Station, Space Launch System, Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicles, and any satellite or instrument inside the Earth’s magnetosphere (JASON-3, SMAP, etc.).

Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin can utilize this Phase I/II work support future space adventure plans. SIRE2 could provide these companies with state-of-the-art models to support their space missions. The Phase I/II effort could be used to support SpaceX’s missions to the International Space Station. There are also numerous DoD and DoE programs that could benefit from enhanced forecasting.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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