OSU researchers are developing a radiation-shielding material that could be used in the construction of habitats on the moon or Mars
Living in Space
ILLUSTRATIONS / DAVE MALEC
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iving on the moon could become a reality through new research from engineering and physics faculty at OSU. “With fewer and fewer places left to explore on Earth, our attention is turning toward outer space,” says Ranji Vaidyanathan, Varnadow Chair and OSU-Tulsa professor of materials science and engineering. “Living in space is the next frontier for us.” Funded with a $750,000 grant from NASA, an interdisciplinary team is working to develop a new radiation-shielding material that could be used to construct habitats that protect astronauts from prolonged exposure to galactic cosmic radiation. Vaidyanathan, Raman P. Singh, OSU-Tulsa Helmerich Research Center director, C.F. Colcord Chair and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Eric Benton, associate professor of physics,
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are project leaders. Victoria Duca Snowden at the Space Grant Program at the University of Oklahoma is administering the project, assisted by Madeline Baugher at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The project, “Radiation Smart Structures and Materials with H-rich Nanostructured Multifunctional Materials,” was one of 15 selected for funding through the NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in 2014. “OSU is a leader in the development of innovative engineering and aerospace technology,” says OSU-Tulsa President Howard Barnett. “The collaborative project demonstrates how research at the Helmerich Research Center in Tulsa is having an impact on industries across the nation as well as in Oklahoma.” The material will shield astronauts from ionizing radiation during
missions to asteroids near Earth, the moon and Mars and could also be used in the creation of lunar and Martian habitats. Using 3-D printing technology and contour crafting, astronauts will be able to create the parts and construct igloo-like habitats in space, instead of building units on Earth and transporting them. “Generally, astronauts cannot stay in space for longer than six months because of their prolonged exposure to radiation. After that point, they are at a much higher risk of developing cancer,” says Singh. “The lightweight material we are developing would deflect that radiation and enable space travelers to spend significantly longer amounts of time in space.” Benton, an expert on radiation shielding, will lead tests on the material to ensure it works under conditions found in outer space. The team will utilize testing facilities