Neutron Fluences In Lunar Habitats

Future manned missions in space most likely will involve long durations where significant exposure to the radiation environment will be unavoidable. Some of those missions, such as manned lunar or Martian bases, will most likely involve thickly shielded environments in order to reduce the dose from Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Energetic Particles. In such environments, neutrons comprise a significant fraction of the Effective Dose that humans will receive. Through the proper choice of habitat/base materials and material configuration, the neutron dose can be reduced, thus providing better protection from the effects of radiation in space. This paper investigates three materials and their influence on the neutron flux and dose inside a simplified lunar base.