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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Fujitsu Ltd. and other entities plan to develop a system of space weather forecast on the moon using artificial intelligence so that occurrences of strong cosmic radiation rays from the sun can be predicted.
The planned system is to prevent astronauts from being exposed to the radiation rays during works on the moon in the future.
JAXA and the partners aim to utilize the system for the Artemis program led by the United States, which is a manned moon exploration program in which Japan will take part.
On the surface of the sun, flares which are explosive phenomenon frequently occur around solar spots. When large-scale flares occur, strong cosmic radiation rays including streams of high-energy particles are discharged.
Because the moon does not have atmosphere like that of the Earth, radiation rays which are dangerous for humans directly reach the moon’s surface.
Therefore, to prepare for manned moon exploration activities in the future, a team of JAXA, Fujitsu and other partners aims to develop a technology for forecasting occurrence of high-energy particle streams by the end of fiscal 2025.
The team will utilize data of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration about scales and lasting periods of high-energy particles which reached Earth in the past and solar activities.
Fujitsu will let an AI program, which the company developed, learn such data as patterns of occurrences of solar flares and radiation rays which satellites observed around the moon.
Then the team will examine whether it is possible to predict occurrences of high-energy particles rays.
The United States plans astronauts’ landing on the moon in 2027 for the first time in about a half century since its Apollo program. JAXA also aims to let Japanese astronauts land on the moon in or after 2028.
With the planned forecast system, it will be possible to make astronauts take shelter in advance to prevent them from being hit by the dangerous cosmic radiation rays.
Chihiro Mitsuda, a senior manager of Fujitsu, said, “We want to develop a technology which can judge details in activities on the moon depending on levels of risks of being exposed to radiation rays.”
