One of the most ambitious goals for humanity is to send the first humans to Mars. We recently told you that China announced its intention to send a man to the Red Planet, and the plans of the NASA Artemis program even indicate the estimated period of this historical event - the 2030s. But if the main criterion for any space flight is the safety of astronauts, then arrival on a planet as unfriendly to humans as Mars will put the life and health of future space travelers at risk.
Space radiation is the main problem of future colonists
Space is fraught with many dangers to humans, but the most serious problem is space radiation. In its simplest form, cosmic radiation is a form of energy that can be composed of electromagnetic waves, particles, or rays. The Earth's atmosphere protects us from the harmful effects of this radiation, but as soon as astronauts board the spacecraft and leave this protective bubble, they can be exposed to various types of cosmic radiation. Moreover, according to the latest scientific research, cosmic radiation has a devastating effect on the brain. Thus, the danger to future space travelers will overtake them even before arriving on Mars.
The atmosphere on the Red Planet is not as strong as the atmosphere on Earth. In its composition, it is more reminiscent of the atmosphere of Venus and is 95% carbon dioxide. And the actual absence of a magnetic field on the Red Planet suggests that most of the surface of Mars is exposed to cosmic radiation, which comes from several sources at once, including our Sun. However, other stellar objects that are not part of the solar system, such as supernovae, are also a source of radiation.
Space is a very unfriendly place for Homo Sapiens.
How does space radiation affect health?
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Radiation penetrates DNA molecules forever changing and damaging them. Some of the major health problems associated with exposure to space radiation include an increased risk of cancer, impaired motor function and behavior, neurological disorders, and death. Research on the effects of radiation on human health is limited given the small sample (after all, not many people have been to the moon). But several studies that have been conducted have shown disturbing results.
Even in spite of the emerging problems, the NASA InSight apparatus does not suffer from cosmic radiation.
For example, according to a 2016 study published in Scientific Reports, the Apollo astronauts suffered from cardiovascular diseases, which often caused premature death. These health problems, according to scientists, could be caused by cosmic radiation. Moreover, those astronauts who went on long-distance space flights, and did not remain in low Earth orbit, were 43% more likely to experience the development of cardiovascular diseases. But how to resist cosmic radiation?
One of the best elements for resisting such harmful radiation is hydrogen. So scientists are experimenting with hydrogenated boron nitride nanotubes that are not only durable, but also extremely resistant to cosmic radiation. Likewise, this material is ideal for cladding a spacecraft. One way or another, today researchers have many ideas for limiting cosmic radiation on Mars, but how much they will be realizable, we will not know soon.
Lyubov Sokovikova