Bubble Technology Industries Inc. has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency to build a system designed to monitor radiation in space.
The Chalk River based company says the Canadian Active Neutron Spectrometer, or CANS, will operate continuously without human intervention, collecting data aimed at improving understanding of space radiation and helping protect astronauts on future missions.
While Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere shield people on the ground from much of the radiation that comes from deep space, astronauts working at higher altitudes face greater exposure. Neutron radiation is considered among the most harmful forms.
The space agency identified neutron spectrometry as a priority area for upcoming missions, citing Canada’s experience in measuring neutron radiation.
Lianne Ing, president of Bubble Technology Industries, said the CANS instrument is designed to improve knowledge of deep space and strengthen efforts to safeguard astronaut health.
The company traces its space heritage to 1988 with the launch of its Bubble Detector, a neutron detection device that has flown on more than two dozen missions over three decades. It has been used in experiments aboard the International Space Station, including Radi-N and Radi-N2.
Beyond space applications, the technology is also used by nuclear facilities, research institutions, the military and the medical sector.
In 2022, the Bubble Detector and the company were inducted into the U.S. Space Technology Hall of Fame.
(Steve Berard)
