buten un binnen, March 22, 2025, Anna-Lena Borchert

The radiation facility at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Bremen whistles and rattles. The components of the huge machine have futuristic names such as “particle accelerator”, “solar simulators” or “VUV source”. But the experiment that the Bremen scientists led by Tim Neudecker are conducting here also falls into the category of future research. “We want to develop a material that provides efficient protection against space radiation,” explains the 36-year-old chemistry professor.

Why is space radiation dangerous?

The radiation in space comes from the sun, the Milky Way and distant galaxies. It consists mainly of protons. You can think of them as “small projectiles flying through space”, says Neudecker. This is because they can damage people's DNA. This in turn leads to faster ageing and increases the risk of cancer for people in space. At the same time, the radiation also attacks the hulls and electrical systems of satellites and spaceships.

Read the whole article (in German)