Space Radiation Too Deadly For Mars Mission

[nimbus]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>By thickness, aluminum has more than twice the radiation shielding power of water, steel, almost&nbsp;8 times better than water. shielding is about equal by mass, and water is needed for various purposes, and can be pumped to where the shielding is most needed. Also water has less tendency to be come contaminated with radioactive issotopes than most other choices for shielding. Neil Posted by neilsoxOne of the advantages for using water as radiation shielding would be that it could originate as drinking water and once it becomes unusable for human consuption, pump it to where it is utilized for radiation protection. Water will still have to be contained by aluminum or steel.&nbsp; <br /> Posted by qso1</DIV>Didn't someone say, in a thread about the Orion rocket, that poop would be the best shielding from the blasts' radiation? &nbsp;Is this a completely different case from radiation found in interplanetary trips?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[qso1]

<p>That would need to be one big pile of poop!&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>That would need to be one big pile of poop!&nbsp; <br />Posted by qso1</DIV></p><p>Things pile up...</p><p>~0.5 kg per person wet mass per day, that is ~0.5 L by volume.</p><p>Over a 1000 day mars mission that is 500 kg, 0.5 cubic metres.</p><p>For a six peron crew that is 3 tonnes or 1.5 cubic metres.</p><p>It is enough to make one pause...</p><p>Jon<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[ThereIWas2]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Solar collectors to run hydrolisers and fuel cells to provide electrical power.</DIV></p><p>That makes no sense.&nbsp; Much more efficient and less mass and complexity to use the output of solar panels directly for electric power, which is what ISS does.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I beleive Bigelow's approach to shielding is that curved flexible tanks would be fitted to the inside of a BA330 after it is inflated, and filled with water.&nbsp; This would be done by astronauts during the "fitting out" phase.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><span class="postbody"><span style="font-style:italic"><br /></span></span></p> </div>