What Materials Block Space Radiation

Overview

Space radiation effects us here on earth as well as effecting anything or anyone we send to space. The atmosphere is thinning and might not be able to protect us forever. Space travel continues to advance to further more dangerous places. The solution; find which materials best block this radiation. I tested five accessible materials by placing them between a radiation source and detector. The materials I tested were water, felt, paper, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. The water blocked the most, due to its density and hydrogen content. The plastic blocked the second most, it is also high in hydrogen but not as high nor as dense. the tinfoil blocked the next most, its effectiveness reduced due to the extra radiation created by the bremsstrahlung effect. it was closely followed by paper. the felt blocked the least being the least dense of the materials.

Awards (1)

• Selected for CWSF 2026

Competition history

• CWSF 2026 Aerospace

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