Italian Space Agency (ASI), Programme VUS3: ISS4EXPLORATION Contract ASI Contratto ASI n. 2021-3-R.0 (CUP) n. F15F21002260005

Coordinato INFN-TTLAB (PI Beatrice Fraboni)

Radiation hazard of outer space environment threatens exploration, research and basic works in and outside spacecrafts. Safety of astronauts and space workers is major concern as they are continuously exposed to ionizing radiation fluxes. Considering no adequate protection is yet achievable, real-time monitoring of absorbed dose is the primary challenge to address. In this direction, IRIS project is devoted to the fabrication and tests of crew wearable dosimeters onboard the International Space Station (ISS), Columbus modulus. The devices are based on high-performance perovskite- and organic- semiconductor thin films and allow for real-time direct detection of high energy radiation and post-processed discrimination of its nature and energy ranges. Exact choice of materials is to be found in their extremely low dark current -therefore a high S/N ratio, that means their ability to detect low doses, high energy, sparse events. As no accurate estimation is available of the incoming fluxes, simulations are made to determine the energy ranges of interest, fluxes and secondary byproducts in specific regions of the Columbus modulus. Laboratory tests under ionizing radiation are performed on the dosimeters to assess their validity as flight-models to be employed in the next launch ISS next year.