NASA to Test Israeli-Made Anti-Radiation Vest in Deep Space

The Israel Space Agency (ISA) announced on Tuesday that it is entering an agreement with NASA to test a radiation suit manufactured by Israeli company StemRad Ltd. during a deep space mission. The agreement is scheduled to be signed at the 34th Space Symposium in Colorado later that day.

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Dubbed AstroRad, the vest-like suit, first adapted for female astronauts, protects vital body organs and tissues which are especially sensitive to radiation damage such as lungs, bone marrow, the large intestine, the chest and the ovaries, the agency said in a statement. According to the statement, the company hopes the results of the experiment will lead NASA to use the suit in future manned missions to space. In 2015, StemRad partnered with American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin, NASA's prime contractor for its deep space Orion capsule. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Tel Aviv with additional offices in Tampa, Florida, StemRad develops and manufactures wearable anti-radiation equipment for military, scientific and medical applications. The company’s flagship product is the 360 Gamma, which protects a user's pelvic bone marrow. In December, StemRad announced a $6 million investment round.