Natalia Cherkashina was awarded the Russian President's Prize

Leading researcher of the Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov Cherkashina was awarded the Russian President's Prize for young scientists.

According to the materials for the TASS press conference dedicated to the announcement of the laureates, Natalia Cherkashina developed materials and technology for protecting cosmonauts and their equipment from space radiation. The technology implemented by N. Cherkashina involves introducing radiation-protective nanofillers up to 70% (compared to previously existing analogues up to 30%) into thermoplastic polymers while maintaining the mechanical characteristics of these polymers. The materials have been tested under the conditions of a long-term orbital flight to the International Space Station. They will significantly extend the time cosmonauts can stay in space, which is especially important for the implementation of the lunar program, and also use conventional industrial microcircuits, the cost of which is several times less than special space electronics.

Natalia Cherkashina also developed physical and chemical principles for modifying radiation-protective nanofillers and studied the patterns of influence of their composition on the physical and technical properties of composite materials (heat resistance, strength, plasticity, radiation-protective characteristics, etc.) in space conditions.