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I'd like to see more on how it's proposed to protect the travellers and the long-stay Mars migrants from radiation. The dosage numbers I've seen do not seem enc
by vixen99 11y ago
I'd like to see more on how it's proposed to protect the travellers and the long-stay Mars migrants from radiation. The dosage numbers I've seen do not seem encouraging. Isn't this a major, possibly fatal stumbling block to extensive space exploration?
- Retric 11y ago10.3 m of water + a strong magnetic field gives you approximately the same protection as the earth's atmosphere. Sadly, that getting that much mass in orbit would be extremely expensive, but a shield provides a long shadow of safe area. Though, in the long term such a shield could be reused indefinably. On Mars the easy option is to live in a cave. And, considering the other risks involved I think many would trade a significant increased risk of cancer in their lifetimes for the journey.
- jswhitten 11y agoThe crew would be risking something like an additional 1% chance of cancer in the next 30 years. While the radiation dose is significant, it's an acceptable risk.