Bubble Technology Industries awarded contract to detect space radiation for astronauts

An Ontario defence and aerospace company has been tasked with developing a tool to detect harmful space radiation for astronauts on the International Space Station. 

The technology will give researchers “practical data to help protect astronauts from harmful radiation.”

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced today that Bubble Technology Industries (BTI), based in Chalk River, Ont., was awarded a $5.5-million CAD contract to develop a compact, autonomous tool to measure neutron radiation exposure in space. The Canadian Active Neutron Spectrometer (CANS) is meant to track exposure levels for astronauts as Canada and partner countries plan space missions to the moon and beyond. 

In a statement, industry minister Mélanie Joly said the technology will give researchers “practical data to help protect astronauts from harmful radiation.” It will also offer benefits to people on Earth in the nuclear and medical fields, who may be exposed to radiation.  

The contract comes after BTI had previously been awarded a Phase A CSA contract worth $505,000 to develop a prototype for the CANS. It had also provided “bubble monitors” to the CSA, which are radiation-detecting tubes, for the Radi-N2 experiment on the ISS used by astronaut Chris Hadfield.

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Radiation is energy that is emitted in the form of rays, electromagnetic waves, or particles. Cosmic radiation can cause radiation sickness in astronauts and also raise long-term risks of developing bone marrow damage and cancer. About 30 percent of radiation in space vehicles is neutron radiation, a space phenomenon where electrons are stripped away from atoms until only the nucleus is left. The CANS aims to specifically target and monitor neutron radiation.

Founded in the Ottawa Valley in 1988, BTI specializes in hardware and software for defence and aerospace, with a particular focus on protecting and detecting harmful radiation. One of its flagship product lines is the FlexSpec, a neutron radiation sensor kit that can be integrated into vehicles, marine ships, backpacks, and aircraft. It also makes handheld radiation detection products, like the RadCompass, for first responders and military personnel. 

Feature image courtesy NASA.