A Mars Mission's Greatest Challenge: Radiation

daSeiz writes "A New York Times article explores the possible effects of prolonged radiation exposure in deep space. Surprisingly, very little is known about the subject. We'll need to find innovative new ways of shielding spacecraft from fraction-of-lightspeed interstellar rubbish if we're ever to spend much time outside our own magnetosphere."

Comments

Judging

[duffbeer703]

By the lack of consistent success in getting small probes to the red planet, I'd have to say that rushing out a manned mission should NOT be a priority.

Re:Judging

[kippy]

Wrong. It should be a priority. Do you think we'll develop tech to sheild us from radiation if we have no plan on going there? NASA needs to set a goal and develop the tech to get there.

If your attitude was around when we were all still in Africa, we'd all still be there because developing clothing is just too darned hard.

Re:Judging

[wolenczak]

Perhaps we could create a magnetic field pretty much like earth's to protect the spacecraft/station. Leaded materials are not an option, unless mars has a source of minerals that could be used to build the shielding. Anyway space research should be a priority. Many of the appliances and materials you use everyday use technology developed thanks to space research.

Comparing Price

[jaaron]

Others include price, estimated at $30 billion to $60 billion, and launching enough food, supplies and fuel for a round trip. Any one of these could make the project impractical.

Well, not to sound too bitter, but going to Mars seems like a much better way to spend billions than going to Iraq.

Bone loss

[hcuar]

Ummm... Actually, wouldn't the worst problem be bone density loss. That's one of the main problems on the ISS (International Space Station). Without the effect of gravity, bone density decreases. From what I understand it's a pretty nasty recovery. The time required to go to and from Mars plus mission time would require much more time in space than any ISS mission to date.

Artificial Magnetosphere?

[TonyZahn]

Ok, IANAP, but what would be the requirements to build a device capable of generating a magnetic field similar to the earth's magnetosphere? I would imagine that it's more efficient to generate a powerful magnetic field around a spaceship than it would be to line the whole thing with lead bricks...

Would the energy requirements be far to high, or maybe the diameter has to be a certain size to deflect solar radiation around the ship? This is all pure non-researched speculation of course, but I know that there's more than a few intelligent /.s out there who may be able to answer this.