Acclimation on a Mars Mission
Effects on Human Physiology
Radiation during space travel and during life on Mars:
According to NASA’s research, radiation is the one greatest concern for
human physiology, as there will be no magnetic field to protect the crew from
solar flares or energetic particle events. During the mission, the crew will be
exposed to lethal quantities of cancer-causing radiation. Protection from
radiation will be required for up to nine months in a spacecraft and for an
extended period of time on the surface of Mars.
To protect the crew during space travel, NASA proposes that the entire
spacecraft could be shielded with water, although water is heavy, making it
unfeasible for space travel. Shielding only the portion of the spacecraft where
the crew live could be a more feasible solution. Furthermore, some suggest that
traveling during a period of
low activity from the sun is
a good idea because the
chance of a solar event
carrying lethal amounts of
radiation less likely,
although this increases the amount of radiation emitted from the rest of the
galaxy, which has the potentially to be harmful as well. A more high-tech
solution is creating magnetic fields to surround the spacecraft, habitat and
ground vehicles, although this technology is still in development and does not
yet exist. Finally, NASA plans to build spacecraft, habitats and ground vehicles
out of hydrogen-rich polyethylene, as hydrogen is an effective shield against
radiation.
Unknown diseases:
As no human has ever stepped foot
on Mars, the scientific community has no
idea if there are life threatening viruses or
diseases waiting on Mars, and the crew
could p