Space Radiation Estimation for The Turkish Lunar Mission

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges for a space mission is the radiation effects on the hardware and the software. Space radiation may cause severe failures and induce major anomalies. It can even cause a mission to be aborted. Therefore, the physical environment and condition of the spacecraft during the mission must be well understood. Space radiation is a critical element for the mission, as the date set for the lunar mission is closer to 2025, the solar maximum year of the solar cycle, which repeats every 11 years. Because of the solar maximum period, the frequency and intensity of coronal mass ejections and solar flares increase. Therefore, the damage of the Total Ionizing Dose Effect (TID), Single Event Effect (SEE), and Displacement Damage (DD) Effect, which are space radiation effects, is increased. Being prepared for these effects is important for space missions. In this study, space radiation simulations were made for The 2023 Turkish Lunar Mission and the results were shared.