Optimization of Radiation Shielding Composite Materials Tailored for Space Mission Applications

New composite materials are more suitable for radiation shielding in space applications compared to multilayer materials as the differing thermal expansion coefficients between layers make multilayer materials more susceptible to damage in the alternating hot and cold conditions of space. These advanced composites are designed with various material systems each optimized to provide distinct shielding properties against electron and proton radiation. The energy spectra of radiation particles vary significantly across different orbital missions affecting the shielding performance of these materials. This study employs a forward Monte-Carlo (FMC) simulation approach initially compared by the ground-based experiments. The shielding effectiveness of different composite material solutions is then simulated allowing for comparison across various orbital radiation environments and doses and evaluating the performance advantages of distinct material systems in specific orbits. This research has shown that the design of radiation shielding materials is a complex engineering process influenced by multiple factors. It requires the material system to be designed based on the shielding properties of different elements considering factors such as the radiation environment characteristics of the mission orbit, areal mass, and the threshold for total ionizing dose (TID) hardness assurance. Composites for missions in the medium Earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) prioritize enhancing electron shielding performance. Meanwhile, the distinct radiation environment characteristics of the low Earth orbit (LEO), low polar Earth orbit (LPEO), and equatorial MEO (EMEO) demand material solutions of optimal designs tailored to specific conditions. The results show that the simulation-driven quantitative approach enables precise designs that ensure reliability while minimizing costs.