Systems (100) and methods (600) for providing a product with a radiation mitigation feature. The methods comprise: obtaining a composite base layer formed of a fiber-reinforced material; and performing a deposition process to dispose a first coating layer on the composite base layer so as to form the product with a radiation barrier, the first coating layer comprising 35% by mass or less of a metal constituent, at least 65% by mass of a germanium constituent, a zero or substantially zero coating stress, and/or an overall thickness between 2 microns and 8 microns.