All this contributes, says Badhwar, to total radiation exposure. Space station crew members will be sending data from the Phantom's five active dosimeters back to Earth about every ten days. When the device returns to Earth next fall, Badhwar and his team will be able to examine results from Fred's passive detectors as well. The goal is to make sure that the crew is exposed to the least amount of radiation possible. Galactic Cosmic Rays consist of many elements, but the lighter nuclei dominate.
Heavier nuclei carry a greater charge and are more damaging to human tissue.