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The document linked at the end of the talk currently contains summary regarding the radiation problem on the way to Mars.

I've heard of the following approach. The spacecraft generates a magnetic field which spreads around it in flight, having some substantial size (order of kilometers). Relatively small amounts of matter (some gas) are constantly emitted from spacecraft, get ionized and trapped in the magnetic field. Such a low density thick "cushion" of ions makes the radiation shielding.

I'd like to learn more about effectiveness of such an approach.




You really want to be piling some dirt on top of your shelters for pressure containment reasons anyways.


That idea was for travel time, not when the spacecraft is already landed on Mars and the crew want protection on the surface. There, dirt will help, but in flight there is nowhere to get it from.




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