Radiation vest tested on NASA moonshot can cut astronauts’ exposure in solar storms, study suggests

A new study indicates that a protective vest, tested on a manikin during NASA's Artemis moon mission, could significantly reduce radiation exposure for astronauts during severe solar storms. The vest, which was worn by a female test dummy named Zohar on the Artemis I mission, could cut radiation exposure by approximately 60% in a solar storm as intense as the one in 1972, and by nearly 40% in a similar 1989 event.

Radiation remains a major threat to astronauts as NASA works towards establishing a lunar base. The vest, developed by U.S.-Israeli startup StemRad and Lockheed Martin, covers the most vulnerable human organs and tissue. While a similar vest was previously tested on the International Space Station, it did not accompany the Artemis II astronauts due to limited room.

The vest could potentially be a carry-on for future moon crews. The study, conducted by StemRad and NASA, is the largest experiment ever conducted to determine astronaut radiation exposure beyond low-Earth orbit.