A novel radiation dosimetry system is proposed for manned exploration spaceflight and ground-based measurements of space radiation, including HZE particles, high energy protons, neutrons, ?-rays and electrons. The system consists of small, rugged passive integrating detectors without batteries and a compact reader. The significance of the proposed technology to NASA is that it will overcome major limitations of the current instrumentation which makes it unsuitable for long duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The innovation is the use of a new concept of Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detector (FNTD) sensitive to high-LET charged particles. The detector is made of novel single crystals of aluminum oxide doped with carbon and magnesium (Al2O3:C,Mg). A completely optical readout technique is based on well proven principals of fluorescent confocal microscopy. The same detector is also used as an Optically Stimulated Luminescence Detector (OSLD) sensitive to low-LET radiation. A reliable "3-in-1" instrument-reader will operate in track-measurement mode for FNTD, low-LET mode for OSLD, and reset/anneal mode. The dosimeter will measure absorbed dose and dose equivalent from all significant types of space radiation and can be easily reset for reuse during spaceflight. FNTD is able to withstand vacuum and temperature cycling from -200 to 600 ?C.
