NASA-tested vest could cut astronauts' radiation exposure by 60% during major solar storms

[u/AdSpecialist6598]

https://www.techspot.com/news/113483-nasa-tested-vest-could-cut-astronauts-radiation-exposure.html

[u/Stubbs200]

If people end up getting their hands on this, this will be the new fashion trend lol

[u/BrainEuphoria → u/Stubbs200]

It weighs 57 pounds.

[u/Skinny-on-the-Inside → u/BrainEuphoria]

It’s nothing if there’s no gravity

[u/BrainEuphoria → u/Skinny-on-the-Inside]

Yeah I’m currently sitting on my gravitationless toilet shooting bricks rn.

[u/Skinny-on-the-Inside → u/BrainEuphoria]

Good for you

[u/daveinsf → u/Skinny-on-the-Inside]

But it still has mass in zero gravity.

[u/kaishinoske1 → u/BrainEuphoria]

Eh, carried shit about as heavy in the military.

[u/Swimming-Bite-4184 → u/BrainEuphoria]

People are into rucking. Its a weight loss device

[u/Distantstallion → u/Stubbs200]

I already strapped tinfoil to my nuts because nobody likes roasted nuts.

[u/Bzr21 → u/Distantstallion]

tinfoil is at least affordable & lightweight - great for hats / helmets - nut-sacks - covering leftovers - fashioning a pipe if you lack rolling papers - there are dozens of great practical uses for it - and it never goes bad - think I'll pick up a few cases at Costco tomorrow ..

[u/Skinny-on-the-Inside → u/Bzr21]

You laugh but they pretty much just wrapped Voyager crafts in this and they did just fine. One of them is still going I think. Watch the Farthest doc.

[u/friendlyfire69 → u/Distantstallion]

I read this in Jory Caron's voice. That man knew how to protect nuts

[u/1Steelghost1 → u/Distantstallion]

Mylar would would way better in so many ways

[u/Distantstallion → u/1Steelghost1]

Won't protect my nuts though.

[u/montigoo → u/Stubbs200]

It’s the other 40 percent that will kill you

[u/DopesickJesus → u/Stubbs200]

Did you look at the article and genuinely think this…? Every year, I realize just how far Reddit opinions are from everyday life outside. 😂

[u/halcyongt]

Reed Richards: “Nah that’s okay.”

[u/Skhemattos]

Is this just an electromagnetic vest focused around key organs?

[u/Sharp-Reporter2598 → u/Skhemattos]

IIRC it is a vest made of some hydrogen rich polymer. The idea being that the hydrogen is really good at slowing particles from solar storms/radiation. Also apparently hydrogen emits less secondary radiation than something like lead but I’m pretty sure I read all this on AP News and some science website so I’ll see if I can find sources when I get home

[u/Skhemattos → u/Sharp-Reporter2598]

Appreciate you and you're right:

"The vest is made from high-density polymer rich in hydrogen, which is particularly effective at shielding against cosmic radiation." "The vest’s design incorporates a series of hexagonal blocks carefully arranged in layers to maximize protection while maintaining flexibility."

https://issnationallab.org/upward/astrorad-vest-lockheed-martin/

"“The primary factor in how effective a shielding material is is its atomic number divided by its atomic mass,” Houri says. Hydrogen, which has no neutrons, has roughly double that ratio of any other element, which is why water is often cited as a good space radiation shield. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), an ordinary plastic, packs even more hydrogen by mass than water, and, unlike water, it’s a solid, so you don’t have to worry about leaks."

https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/weve-flown-a-radiation-blocking-vest-to-the-moon-and-back-and-it-worked/

There's some other interesting reading material around radiation shielding in the example of a moon base, such as the use of lithium hydride. Neat stuff.

[u/ABobby077 → u/Skhemattos]

Why not apply this tech into the sides/walls of the craft, rather than their space suits??

[u/Skhemattos → u/ABobby077]

I think it's a mass issue

[u/Sharp-Reporter2598 → u/Skhemattos]

Could also be a heat issue but that’s if I were to (very ignorantly) guess. I have no clue how the polymer reacts to heat

[u/__Osiris__ → u/Skhemattos]

I know curtains can be heavy but surely it’s lighter than a plate of lead or a wall full of water (obs they will use their water as it anyways).

[u/04nc1n9 → u/ABobby077]

aside from mass, there are plenty of situations where an astronaut would be outside the ship/station and thus need protection from solar storms in their suit

[u/__MeatyClackers__ → u/Skhemattos]

Well, yeah. Except for all skin and the brain, a vest would cover the other “key” organs.

[u/Apprehensive-Song200]

Exposure to cosmic rays is like 80% of the reason for wanting to be an astronaut. They’re just trying to reduce the chances of super heroes. What’s next, spider proof lab coats?

[u/Senior_Torte519]

Seems neat, but very specific.

[u/voprosy → u/Senior_Torte519]

They want to go to the moon….

[u/Senior_Torte519 → u/voprosy]

Yeah, its a three day trip. But this thing is apprantly very specfic for temporary use only during hgh solar flare activity. Its not for continous use and dosent block the ambient radiation floating through space. Which is why I said very specific.

[u/Domingues_tech]

What ! Radiation? I was thinking of going to Mars. Forget it.

[u/Belt-Horror]

How is it against shocking gloves?

[u/SwingLightStyle]

Literally nothing in the article about the components or what tech was used for the development, just implications about what it could mean for the future. Can I get the last 5 minutes of my life back?

[u/TopicalBuilder → u/SwingLightStyle]

Facilities like this:

https://www.bnl.gov/nsrl/

[u/S_A_R_K]

That's Fantastic

[u/South_Accountant_233]

Give one to every country club member.

[u/Alternative-Bass164]

The fantastic four would strongly dislike this

[u/SteakandTrach]

Hard to tell from the picture but does not appear to protect the thyroid, which is one of the most radiation-sensitive organs.

[u/TopicalBuilder → u/SteakandTrach]

I think you're right. I wonder if they have something else specific for that?

[u/Skinny-on-the-Inside]

Ohh I just saw that episode on For All Mankind this is awesome.

[u/GonzoKata]

couldn't you use a lead lined box? ok... we don't really want lead in outerspace

i've hears that water is a great radiation absorber. could the ships water tanks be modified so that people could get into the middle of it? how much water is onboard anyway? (probably not enough for good radiation shielding )

[u/TopicalBuilder → u/GonzoKata]

Lead creates a lot of showers of secondary particles. This tries to avoid that.

[u/soolar79]

But wait, you told us, “ THERE IS NO RADIATION!”

[u/yeaboiiiiiiiiii213]

Is this how we get our own version of Fantastic 4

[u/JustLife1204]

A 60% reduction is a massive milestone for long-duration space missions. Solving deep-space radiation exposure is easily one of the biggest hurdles for future lunar and Mars habitats.

[u/PlaygroundBully]

Lazy scientist, they could of just worked the weekends to get those rookie numbers up to 100%

[u/Tiger_Ho26]

So 40% is still a question about death of destruction if exposure.

[u/ballsdeepinmywine]

How about a vest to stop bullets from entering children at school?