HMC Physics Colloquium

Tuesdays at 16:30 in Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning, Room B460

Rita Kalra

Space X

The Challenges of Space Weather and Radiation Environments in Aerospace

April 25, 2017

Space radiation from high-energy particles is a field that is of increasing importance in this dawning space age.  Extreme space weather events are responsible for a variety of problems including satellite failures and radio blackouts, and also have the potential for catastrophic impacts on Earth such as a near-global loss of the power grid. Additionally, radiation protection for astronauts is an ongoing challenge. This talk will cover issues posed by space radiation as well as standard mitigation techniques, and will touch upon the Radiation Effects team at SpaceX.