What resembles the head and torso of a human and will be attached outside the International Space Station during the night of 26/27 February. Called Matroshka, it/he/she will be measuring the radiation doses that would be experienced by astronauts during spacewalks.
The levels of radiation inside the Station are well documented though the levels experienced by astronauts outside of the ISS are still unclear. In order to determine precise measurements, Matroshka simulates the human body within a spacesuit as closely as possible. The Matroshka experiment facility consists of several different layers, hence the reason for naming it after the famous Russian matrioshka dolls. The simulated human element of the experiment is called the Phantom. It is composed of natural bone and a material, which closely resembles natural tissue. A lower-density material is used to simulate the lungs. These 'tissue' layers are covered with a simulated skin layer. The Phantom is itself housed in an external container, which represents a spacesuit. Radiation sensors are placed in and around the Phantom at different key organ locations such as the stomach, lungs, colon, eyes and skin and also within the spacesuit element. Knowing the radiation doses suffered by sensitive body organs is crucial for assessing the hazards from cosmic radiation.
