Physics

Space Radiation

Space Radiation

Space radiation is composed of energetic charged particles (atoms with all of the electrons striped). Astronauts are exposed to secondary neutrons as well. The radiation environment of deep space is different from that on the Earth’s surface or in low Earth orbit, due to the much larger flux of high-energy galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), along with radiation from solar proton events (SPEs) and the radiation belts.