
- The sun emits high quantities of radiation
- Earth's atmosphere protects everything on Earth from most of the sun's harmful radiation
- In space, where there is no atmosphere, satellites are not protected
- Satellites must use materials resistant to radiation to cover instruments sensitive to radiation
- Engineers use materials that absorb highly charged, radioactive particles to cover the instruments
- Many heavy metals, such as lead, absorb radiation
- Lead is very heavy, very durable, and very inexpensive
- Lead is used when x-ray photographs are taken, to protect patients and x-ray technicians from radiation