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An innovative radiation assessment system combining computer aided design (CAD) capabilities with established NASA transport codes has been developed, permitting fast, accurate analysis capable of supporting preliminary design programs. Followed by brief discussions of the primary natural particle radiation sources and the operational sensitivities imposed by them on crew and spacecraft, the analytical system and methods are described. The use of this automated analytical tool called Brem (Boeing radiation exposure model), is then addressed regarding spacecraft design and the optimization of radiation shielding.

Major improvements have recently been completed in the approach to spacecraft shielding analysis. A Computer-Aided Design (CAD)-based system has been developed for determining the shielding provided to any point within or external to the spacecraft. Shielding analysis is performed using a commercially available stand-alone CAD system and a customized ray-tracing subroutine contained within a standard engineering modeling software package. This improved shielding analysis technique has been used in several vehicle design projects such as a Mars transfer habitat, pressurized lunar rover, and the redesigned Space Station. Results of these analyses are provided to demonstrate the applicability and versatility of the system.