Comparison between predictions and observations of induced radioactive background in interplanetary missions

Predictions have been made of the cosmic-ray induced radioactivity in germanium, bismuth germanate and sodium iodide and are compared with data obtained from the Mars Observer and Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous missions. The energies of the dominant line features are well predicted. Quantitative comparisons have been made for the germanium detector on Mars Observer and predictions based on spallation by primaries are generally in agreement, with observations to better than a factor of two. Pre-flight predictions are presented for the bismuth germanate detector on the Lunar Prospector mission.