The Gateway space station, a cornerstone of future lunar and Martian explorations, will play a crucial role in the study of solar and cosmic radiation. With its instruments HERMES, ERSA, and IDA, it will enhance our understanding and anticipation of fluctuating space conditions, critical for the safety of journeys to the Moon and Mars.
The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station orbiting the Moon, an essential component of the Artemis missions for returning humans to the lunar surface.
Credit: NASA, Alberto Bertolin, Bradley Reynolds
The space environment, influenced by the Sun, poses a major risk to human health and the success of missions. Radiation, more intense during journeys to the Moon or Mars outside of the Earth's magnetospheric protection, can have detrimental effects on health, such as increasing cancer risk, altering motor functions and behavior, and causing tissue degeneration. They also pose a threat to vehicles and space equipment.
HERMES, developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, will study the solar wind and magnetic fields. ERSA, designed by the European Space Agency (ESA), will focus on the solar wind and deep space radiation. IDA, also led by ESA with additional instruments from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will assess the effectiveness of radiation shielding inside Gateway.
These instruments will help scientists better understand the risks posed by radiation, thus improving the safety of space travel. Their ability to study the unpredictable space environment is one of Gateway's many functions.