Space radiation monitoring and evaluation with Timepix-family detectors

Radiation in space presents a serious risk to space exploration if not properly mitigated, but it also offers valuable insights into Earth's atmosphere, the space surrounding our planet, the Solar System, and even distant celestial bodies. Effective monitoring of space radiation environment is essential for both scientific advancement and space mission safety. Timepix-family detectors, hybrid semiconductor pixel devices with high spatial and temporal resolution, are wellsuited for such monitoring. They can detect individual particle hits with nanosecond timing and measure deposited energy above approximately 1 keV across a 256 × 256 pixel matrix with 55μm pitch size. These detectors enable identification of radiation components—such as protons, ions, electrons, and photons—as well as dose rate, particle flux, and Linear Energy Transfer (LET), with directional sensitivity for source identification. We demonstrate the capabilities of Timepix-family detectors in two satellite missions, VZLUSAT-2 and OneWeb’s JoeySat.