Expedition 61 astronauts Christina Koch (NASA), Luca Parmitano (ESA), and cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov (Roscosmos) have just returned from the International Space Station this morning. Along with many other scientific equipments, they also retrieved the DOSIS-3D detectors as well, ending the 201-day mission, which was the 15th measurement period in the series of this international collaborative radiation monitoring experiment.
The dosimeters were launched into space on July 20, 2019, along with Luca Parmitano, the first Italian commander of the Space Station and after a few days deployed inside the Columbus Module following the protocols practised during the on-ground trainings. "The results will help build a clearer picture of astronauts’ radiation environment and prepare for deep-space missions to come." - highlights the ESA publication regarding Luca Parmitano's mission, which can be accessed following the link below:
The science behind and beyond Luca's mission
Right after the Italian astronaut returned, he travels directly to the DLR Envihab, a unique medical research institute in Cologne specifically focused on the effects of space travel, and hands the dosimeters to the scientists leading the DOSIS-3D experiments, who can immediately begin the delivery to the different laboratories, including ours.
Andrea Strádi