Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry on Lunar Habitats: Analyzing Current Research
Keywords:
Radiation dosage, Lunar bases, Ionizing radiation, Lunar missionsAbstract
Establishing a permanent and sustainable human presence on the Moon has long been one of humanity’s most ambitious goals. The Moon is continuously exposed to ionizing radiation from the Sun and deep space, rendering it an extreme environment that poses significant radiological risks to future human exploration missions. Accurate radiation dosimetry is essential to ensure astronaut safety. This study aimed to assess the current state of research on radiation dosimetry for potential lunar environments and bases. A bibliometric analysis was conducted based on the results of various keyword searches in Scopus to identify key trends and research gaps related to lunar radiation dosimetry. The analysis revealed a growing body of research focused on radiation protection, the biological effects of ionizing radiation, and simulation models to assess radiation exposure on the Moon. Furthermore, the analysis highlighted an increasing involvement of various countries worldwide in these research areas, with the United States leading in the number of publications. This study provides a global overview of the current state of research in lunar radiation dosimetry, emphasizing areas where further investigation is required to support safe human exploration.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Camilo Revelo-Benavides, Carlos Patiño, Arturo Argüelles, Daniel Gomez
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