MATSIM: Development of a Voxel Model of the MATROSHKA Astronaut Dosimetric Phantom

The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology coordinates the project MATSIM (MATROSHKA Simulation) in collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology and the German Aerospace Center, to perform FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of the MATROSHKA numerical phantom irradiated under reference radiation field conditions as well as for the radiation environment at the International Space Station (ISS). MATSIM is carried out as co-investigation of the ESA ELIPS projects SORD and RADIS (commonly known as MATROSHKA), an international collaboration of more than 18 research institutes and space agencies from all over the world, under the science and project lead of the German Aerospace Center. During MATSIM a computer tomography scan of the MATROSHKA phantom has been converted into a high resolution 3-dimensional voxel model. The energy imparted and absorbed dose distribution inside the model is determined for various radiation fields. The major goal of the MATSIM project is the validation of the numerical model under reference radiation conditions and further investigations under the radiation environment at ISS. In this report we compare depth dose distributions inside the phantom measured with thermoluminescence detectors (TLDs) and an ionization chamber with FLUKA Monte Carlo particle transport simulations due to ⁶⁰Co photon exposure. Further reference irradiations with neutrons, protons and heavy ions are planned. The fully validated numerical model MATSIM will provide a perfect tool to assess the radiation exposure to humans during current and future space missions to ISS, Moon, Mars and beyond.