\n<\/p>\n
Protecting the astronauts of the Artemis program is one of NASA\u2019s highest priorities. The agency intends to have a long-term presence on the Moon, which means long-term exposure to dangerous radiation levels. As part of the development of the Artemis program, NASA also set limits to the radiation exposure that astronauts can suffer. Other hazards abound on the lunar surface, including a potential micrometeoroid strike, which could cause catastrophic damage to mission equipment or personnel. NASA built a team to design and develop a \u201cLunar Safe Haven\u201d to protect from these hazards. Their working paper was released in 2022 but still stands as NASA\u2019s best approach to long-term living on the lunar surface.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The two hazards mentioned above provided the primary impetus for the design, but there are some nuances to them\u2014in particular, radiation. Astronauts will experience two main types of hazardous radiation on the lunar surface: cosmic rays and solar eruptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cosmic rays are the more insidious of the two. They have a high energy range, so a shielding material that might work well for higher-energy particles might not do so for lower-energy ones. Moreover, some high-energy particles can interact with shielding, causing even more damaging radiation further down its path. Essentially, this increases the radiation risk inside the shielding compared to outside. The order in which the radiative particles are dealt with is one of the critical design considerations for dealing with this dangerous phenomenon.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n