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Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)
Small mass/power sensors are needed for autonomous Moon/Mars surface ops that provide alerts to impending adverse space weather conditions. In order to use current operational forecasting tools, a sensor capable of measuring both high -energyelectrons and protonsisneeded.By combining high-TRL Timepix technology with a CdTelayer, this project leverages known technology to fill a critical gap for surface operations. Typical space weather sensors are at least an order of magnitude higher in mass than is expected from Timepix-based devices and are deployed on robotic assets away from human crews.The proposed work will bring high-quality measurements at the crew location and subsequent ability to provide warnings to crews to shelter with a device that can easily be carried on the Lunar and Martian surfaces.
Small mass/power radiation sensors that can be carried by the crew are needed as opposed to the typical large robotic orbital platforms. Local detectors enable autonomous space weather operation. This detector in particular will provide a critical input data stream used to forecast energetic solar events. The principal advantage of these detectors over existing solutions is that they are small enough to be placed local to the crew on the lunar surface or deep space (Mars surface). Current robotic assets in GEO and at L1 cannot provide the needed input data at the crew location.
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