Mars Mission Doomed To Fail Due To Extreme Radiation

With all the excitement that comes with the possibility of humans reaching Planet Mars, people often tend to forget the real dangers posed by the Red Planet.

In a report, scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) warned that humans are susceptible to radiation exposure that’s 700 times stronger than that of Earth. The scientists, who are working with ESA on ways to protect astronauts during the journey to Mars, said that Earth’s magnetic field is strong enough to protect inhabitants from “galactic cosmic rays.” Considering Mars’ weak atmosphere and magnetic field, however, astronauts set for the Red Planet are set to be vulnerable.

“One day in space is equivalent to the radiation received on Earth for a whole year,” physicist Marco Durante, one of the scientists working on the study, said.

To prove this point, the group pointed out how today’s astronauts already show a higher susceptibility to early-onset cataracts. Traveling to farther regions such as Mars could pose a more serious risk as the radiation could affect the brain, heart and the central nervous system which could lead to degenerative diseases in the future.

“The real problem is the large uncertainty surrounding the risks. We don’t understand space radiation very well and the long-lasting effects are unknown,” Durante said.

Based on the gathered data from ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, going on the six-month journey to Mars could expose astronauts to 60 percent of the total radiation limit that they should be exposed to for the duration of their career.

“As it stands today, we can’t go to Mars due to radiation. It would be impossible to meet acceptable dose limits,” Durante said.

NASA, on the other hand, is also trying to come up with a Biosuit that could help astronauts survive the extreme conditions of space and the Red Planet. The agency has come up with a suit that can apply pressure directly to the astronaut’s skin. This way, internal fluids won’t go haywire when exposed to Mars’ weak atmosphere. This could result in a thinner suit that would make moving around the Red Planet easier for the first man on Mars.

Private companies such as SpaceX is also trying to come up with suitable bodysuits for the first astronauts headed to Mars. So far, they have come up with a suit that was conceptualized to incorporate power, water and air connections to pass through one panel right by the suit's right thigh.