Don’t know for sure if this is correct, but I was to understand that this is the reason that manned travel to Mars would be virtually impossible until well into the 2020’s.
Unless something can be developed that can ward off the onslaught of radiation, etc., but is light enough that the rocket can lift off and gain the proper speeds.
Radiation is always a threat, and higher radiation certainly doesn’t help. But a burst (solar storm) is the real fear regarding radiation, and that can happen any time.
The typical reason for the timing of unmanned missions (and probably for manned missions) is the alignment of the planets. Every few years the amount of fuel needed to reach Mars is at a minimum, so that’s the obvious time to launch. Otherwise you may not be able to get there, or certainly not carry very much.
Can’t they just fly to Mars at night when the Sun isn’t out?
~ Dumb Blonde ;)
Or capture and store the energy as a power source.
I am sure there are technological barriers but I’ve always thought that portable ship’s magnetic field generator (perhaps assembled in orbit) would help shield a crew from solar particles and radition...much the same as Earth’s does.