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Rover radiation data poses manned Mars mission dilemma
BBC ^ | 30 May 2013 Last updated at 15:26 ET | Jonathon Amos

Posted on 05/31/2013 2:06:30 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Nasa's Curiosity rover has confirmed what everyone has long suspected - that astronauts on a Mars mission would get a big dose of damaging radiation.

The robot counted the number of high-energy space particles striking it on its eight-month journey to the planet.

Based on this data, scientists say a human travelling to and from Mars could well be exposed to a radiation dose that breached current safety limits.

This calculation does not even include time spent on the planet's surface.

When the time devoted to exploring the world is taken into account, the dose rises further still.

This would increase the chances of developing a fatal cancer beyond what is presently deemed acceptable for a career astronaut.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: mars; radiation

1 posted on 05/31/2013 2:06:31 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Nothing we didn’t already know. The real issue is time in transit. Exposure on the surface isn’t much greater than what is experienced on the ISS but this would be for a longer time.

Faster propulsion is obviously needed and I still wonder if the foam used in the Bigelow inflatable craft can be infused with powdered lead for shielding.


2 posted on 05/31/2013 2:17:47 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: BenLurkin

What? Nuclear waste dump leaked? Greedy power plant owners scrimped on maintenance?


3 posted on 05/31/2013 2:19:35 PM PDT by Steely Tom (If the Constitution can be a living document, I guess a corporation can be a person.)
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To: BenLurkin
I knew that from all the mutants in the original Schwarzenegger version of Total Recall


4 posted on 05/31/2013 2:22:52 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Not that 3 boobs is necessarily a bad thing.


5 posted on 05/31/2013 2:24:08 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek

” I still wonder if the foam used in the Bigelow inflatable craft can be infused with powdered lead for shielding.”

No, that would not work.


6 posted on 05/31/2013 2:25:32 PM PDT by babygene ( .)
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To: cripplecreek

Faster propulsion is obviously needed and I still wonder if the foam used in the Bigelow inflatable craft can be infused with powdered lead for shielding.

Doesn’t need to be lead... Justa few layers of this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demron

Also the inflatables walls can have two sets of “bladders” in them, one for fresh water and one for recyckled/waste water, and use the water to act a radiation shield/ temprature stabilizer....


7 posted on 05/31/2013 2:27:07 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: BenLurkin

Sign me up!

8 posted on 05/31/2013 2:30:31 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: BenLurkin

Ah, it’s not that bad. Don’t forget to wear a hat, and wear one that fastens to the head, covers the neck, etc. It’s windy sometimes.


9 posted on 05/31/2013 2:33:44 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of rotten politics smelled around the planet.)
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To: BenLurkin

Send Sheila Jakson Lee. She can check the flag, and her brain is too small to be hit by radiation.

Problem solved.


10 posted on 05/31/2013 3:00:38 PM PDT by Hardraade (http://junipersec.wordpress.com (Obama equals Osama))
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To: BenLurkin

Just use the New limits for radiation exposure put out by the Japanese government after the nuclear power incident and everything will be just fine.


11 posted on 05/31/2013 3:34:54 PM PDT by Revel
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To: BenLurkin; KevinDavis; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; ...

Thanks BenLurkin.
The robot counted the number of high-energy space particles striking it on its eight-month journey to the planet... a human travelling to and from Mars could well be exposed to a radiation dose that breached current safety limits... does not even include time spent on the planet's surface.
An extra ping to APoD members. [#60]


12 posted on 05/31/2013 7:47:05 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: GraceG
Nanofoam also looks promising
13 posted on 05/31/2013 8:00:12 PM PDT by rottndog ('Live Free Or Die' Ain't just words on a bumber sticker...or a tagline.)
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