Comments on: Mission to Mars: The Radiation Problem

By: Seven

Seven — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:01:11 +0000

It’s like RadX from the video game Fallout http://terapio.com/

By: David

David — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:19:26 +0000

People’s knowledge of space has been so distorted by Hollywood, it is difficult for them to grasp the immense challenges of traveling to Mars. Look at the money perspective. It cost $100 billion in today’s dollars for the entire Apollo program in the 1960′s. The recent X challenge that paid $10 million dollars for a privately funded space flight, cost investor Paul Allen $25 million to actually make happen. Right now, everyone wants their mother taken care with social security, free healthcare for themselves, and a healthy dose of food stamps every month. And don’t forget to throw in unending unemployment benefits. The U.S. owes $121 trillion in unfunded liabilities. The American people are cannabilizing their children’s and grandchildren’s futures. Even if the government was flush with cash, the costs would so beyond what it costs in the 60′s due to union pensions and environmental requirements. So financially, we ain’t going to Mars. Sorry, all of you Star Wars fan boys. “This is not the planet you are looking for.”

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:33:06 +0000

Maybe ask the Americans if we can borrow the walt disney studio where the moonlandings where filmed.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 11:10:04 +0000

Your wrong about the travel time radiation exposure as they have improved engines (34 days) and wrong about the volunteer rate for the so-called suicide mission (1/3 of 1000 polled people in 1 survey). Oh and recently lichen did well adapting to simulated Mars atmosphere.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:24:39 +0000

Well,what US does or doesn’t do will soon not matter. The Chinese will take over in a few years from now and show us all how to do things. US will still be debating their proposals in the senate and remembering the good old days. One thinks of Nokia, once the largest phone manufacturer and now….

By: Alexander

Alexander — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:17:47 +0000

yeah, just film it in Nevada, like NASA did.

By: Anjala

Anjala — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:35:30 +0000

I hope that nasa could make this difficult task easier and in a systematic manner!!!!!!!!!

By: CJ Evans

CJ Evans — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 05:53:06 +0000

I agree with Daniel; an electromagnetic shielding would definitely be the way to go. However, I would add layering the hull of the ship and the Mars habitat with glass-ceramic and a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, argon with trace amounts of carbon dioxide, ozone, any helium, all in a pressurized liquid state to help to resist the heat of planetary entry. Having a properly composed glass-ceramic layered shell can also help to diffuse the heat more than ceramic alone.
Just my thoughts on the matter.

By: Ra

Ra — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 20:13:02 +0000

The “increased cancer likehood” is really the big problem to be solved before colonizing Mars? :-D

By: Gregory McCartney

Gregory McCartney — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 19:05:51 +0000

i agree with bobcat..we have been to the moon and would not the astronauts been exposed to radiation since the moon has no atmosphere and therefore cannot protect people from the radiation hitting it…seems like the government does not want anyone going to Mars without their consent or them getting there first..they want all the glory of being there first

By: Big Ern

Big Ern — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 18:41:31 +0000

I’ll be 86. If I can take my Kindle and lap-top (and if they function in space and on Mars) I’m going!

By: adolphe

adolphe — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:56:14 +0000

More than 1 billion people would be ok for the one way trip. Retired, but also a lot of people dying in misery in the world,and keen to get a correct life sponsorized by trash TV, NASA, Scientologists, you name it, they’ll dont care…

By: James Woroble Jr

James Woroble Jr — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:34:45 +0000

Ironically, with what is pouring out of Fukishima, space travel and Mars colonization would represent an exposure downgrade.

By: MaskMarvl

MaskMarvl — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:53:26 +0000

I agree with Cliff… :) I doubt there’ll be any shortage of people wanting to go.

Secondly, we all KNOW how NASA lies and STILL lies to us about many things begining with the moon missions and what they really found and saw there. So… why should I believe ANYTHING coming form them? For all I know, they just don’t want us going there to discover what they’re trying to keep secret.

By: Daniel H

Daniel H — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:31:12 +0000

Why make it so difficult. You create an electromagnetic shield. Just like the Earth magnetic field protects us, it will protect those inside the spaceship. Radiations particles will be curved around the spaceship and not go through. Experiments are already taking place!