How will future Mars astronauts shield themselves from harmful space radiation? This is what a recent study published in The European Physical Journal Plus hopes to address as a pair of international researchers investigated what materials could be suited for providing the necessary shielding against solar and cosmic rays that could harm future Mars astronauts. This study holds the potential to help scientists and engineers better understand the mitigation measures that need to be taken to protect astronauts during long-term space missions.
For the study, the researchers used computer simulations to create Mars-like conditions, whose surface temperatures and pressures are much smaller than Earth’s, along with Mars completely lacking a protective magnetic field that provides our planet with protection from space radiation. Through this, the researchers tested a variety of materials to ascertain their effectiveness in shielding astronauts from space radiation.
In the end, they found that synthetic fibers, rubber, and plastics demonstrated the best performance of providing shielding. Additionally, the team found that Martian regolith (commonly called Martian “soil”) and aluminum combined with other materials could also be effective as a shielding agent, as well.
“This breakthrough enhances astronaut safety and makes long-term Mars missions a more realistic possibility,” said Dr. Dimitra Atri, who is an investigator in the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science at NYU Abu Dhabi and co-author of the study. “It supports the future of human space exploration and potential establishment of human bases on Mars, including the UAE's Mars 2117 project and its goal of establishing a city on Mars by the year 2117.”
This study comes as NASA and other agencies are looking for land the first humans on Mars sometime in the 2030s or 2040s. This is being kickstarted with the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon where new technologies and strategies for long-term space missions will continue to develop.
How will future Mars astronauts shield themselves from harmful space radiation in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
Sources: The European Physical Journal Plus, EurekAlert!
Featured Image Credit: NASA
