DLR and NASA expand Artemis partnership with enhanced lunar radiation detectors

A central element of this partnership is the deployment of DLR's enhanced M-42 EXT radiation detector, an upgrade from the original M-42 device used on Artemis I. The improved system will fly aboard Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA's Orion spacecraft, slated for launch by April 2026.

"Comprehensive and coherent radiation measurements in open space are essential to develop effective protective measures against the impact of space radiation on the human body," stated Anke Pagels-Kerp, DLR's Divisional Board Member for Space. She emphasized the significance of Artemis I data, which included measurements from 12,000 passive and 16 active M-42 detectors placed inside the Helga and Zohar mannequins. These readings constituted the first continuous radiation data ever collected beyond low Earth orbit.

Artemis II will carry four M-42 EXT detectors during its ten-day lunar flyby. The upgraded instruments offer six times better energy resolution than their predecessors and feature enhanced electronics and power systems, ensuring improved performance in the challenging environment of space.

NASA acting administrator Janet Petro praised the collaboration: "The German Aerospace Center has been a valuable partner in Artemis... I am pleased to sign this important new NASA-DLR joint agreement today, committing to the integration of German radiation detectors on Artemis II." She highlighted Germany's continued technological contributions, including a CubeSat for Artemis II and vital radiation data from Artemis I.

The M-42 EXT builds on the MARE (Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment), which used two anatomically accurate female mannequins-Helga and Zohar-to measure radiation exposure during Artemis I. Helga flew unshielded while Zohar wore the AstroRad vest developed by StemRad. Both were equipped with M-42 detectors in locations corresponding to vulnerable organs, enabling direct comparison of shielded and unshielded exposure.

MARE, led by DLR in partnership with NASA, Lockheed Martin, the Israel Space Agency, and StemRad, remains the most extensive radiation experiment conducted beyond low Earth orbit. The dataset has advanced understanding of radiation impacts on the female body and supports the development of tailored shielding strategies, paving the way for safer human exploration of the Moon and beyond.