Speaker
Description
As human space exploration moves beyond Low Earth Orbit, understanding and mitigating space radiation risks becomes increasingly urgent. With regular missions to the Moon on the horizon and preparations underway for future human travel to Mars, astronaut safety is a top priority. One of the most critical challenges is exposure to ionizing radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Particle Events (SPEs), which can pose serious health risks during deep space missions.
SPEs can rapidly increase radiation levels in a matter of hours. Accurate forecasting with sufficient lead time is essential for effective mission planning and operational decision-making, in line with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle for radiation protection. Although both analytical and physics-based models offer insights, their predictive capabilities remain limited. In this context, now-casting methods—based on real-time data and historical event analysis—play a vital role. Enhancing these systems and integrating them into broader forecasting frameworks remains a key objective.
To support this effort and foster interdisciplinary collaboration, the European Radiation Facility Network – Data Hub (ERFNet-DH) was developed. Funded and coordinated by ESA and ASI, and implemented by ALTEC (Turin, Italy), ERFNet provides a shared digital environment where scientists can access, analyze, and compare radiation-related data from past and current missions. The platform connects researchers in physics, medicine, biology, engineering, and data science, accelerating progress toward a comprehensive European Radiation Risk Model for human spaceflight.
ERFNet is a flexible and collaborative framework with two main goals. First, it offers a ready-to-use computational environment for Monte Carlo simulations and data analysis. Tools like Geant4 and ROOT are pre-installed and accessible via an interactive web interface or in batch mode, allowing users to run radiation transport simulations and custom workflows without the need for local infrastructure.
Second, ERFNet serves as a community hub for the broader scientific ecosystem focused on space radiation and radiation protection. The platform enables researchers to upload, share publications, and stay up to date on open science topics and key questions in the field. By fostering openness and interdisciplinary exchange, ERFNet supports a more integrated and dynamic research environment tailored to the evolving needs of space exploration.
A major milestone was reached on July 23rd, 2025, with the release of Version 1 of the ERFNet platform. The system is already being used to support Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations aimed at validating trapped particle models such as AE8/AP8 and AE9/AP9 (simulations conducted within the framework of the Space It Up program funded by ASI). The results are being compared with radiation dose data collected by the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I mission, with the goal of improving model accuracy and assessing their relevance for future crewed missions.
At the European Space Weather Week, we will present the capabilities of the ERFNet V1 environment and share preliminary results from these validation studies, demonstrating the platform’s potential to support collaborative, high-impact research in space radiation and space weather.
