Kayla Barron, a NASA astronaut who tested the vest on the ISS, described it as "like a gravity blanket in space," praising its combination of protection and mobility. She emphasized the importance of customized wearable solutions for spacefarers, calling the vest "an elegant solution to a challenging engineering problem."
The AstroRad vest uses high-density polymers to selectively shield vital organs that are most vulnerable to radiation exposure. This targeted protection addresses serious risks such as cancer and radiation sickness. The ISS National Lab's sponsorship allowed StemRad and its partners to refine the vest's ergonomics and functionality, pushing the boundaries of astronaut safety for deep-space missions.
Oren Milstein, CEO of StemRad, underscored the importance of the microgravity environment in testing the vest: "It allowed us to test the vest in a real space environment and laid the groundwork for other collaborations and tests, where we could take the concept even further."
Collaboration was central to the vest's development. Kat Coderre, deputy manager for deep space exploration advanced programs at Lockheed Martin, referred to the process as a "vest saga," noting how the ISS environment provided invaluable feedback for enhancing the design to support long-duration wear during solar particle events.
The vest has also been tested on NASA's Artemis I mission, further validating its potential to advance human space exploration. As a key step toward safer journeys into deep space, AstroRad highlights the critical role of wearable technology in protecting astronauts from the challenges of radiation exposure.
For more details on AstroRad's development and testing aboard the ISS, refer to the *Upward* feature, Armor for Astronauts.
Related Links
International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
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