Mars Explorers Face Huge Radiation Problem 283
astroengine writes "A radiation sensor inside NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows that even under the best-case scenario and behind shielding currently being designed for NASA's new deep-space capsule, future travelers will face a huge amount of radiation. The results, based on Curiosity's 253-day, 348-million-mile cruise to Mars, indicate an astronaut most likely would exceed the current U.S. lifetime radiation exposure limit during one round trip mission. "Even for the shortest of missions we are perilously close to the radiation career and health limits that we've established for our astronauts," NASA's chief medical officer Richard Williams told a National Academy of Sciences' medical committee on Thursday."
Hasn't Comic Book taught you anything. (Score:5, Funny)
Radiation only has positive outcomes!
Re:Mutants. (Score:5, Funny)
Won't this just turn people into mutants like in Total Recall?
That's once they get their asses to Mars! Before that, they'll be in space, and they'll be more like the Fantastic 4.
Re:Dig a hole (Score:5, Funny)
What, you expect me to RTFA?
Yes digging a hole in space is a dumb idea.
I have noting further of value to add to this conversation.
Re:wait... (Score:4, Funny)
To get that, you'd need to be surrounded by a substance that was so black that you'd think to yourself "How much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black."
Re:To Boldly Go... (Score:4, Funny)
Hi, I'm Chris Hansen.
Why don't you have a seat right over there.
Re:Just start breeding radiation resistant humans (Score:5, Funny)
Cockroaches can withstand radiation . . . maybe modern gene therapy could help humans to replicate that process in themselves . . . ?
Hopefully, without turning them into cockroaches . . .
Too late. We call them lawyers
Re:Okay (Score:5, Funny)
Ya, there's something that can be done. The government is being very hush-hush about it. Until now, only those "in the know" have been told.
Just under the surface of Mars is a vast quantity of water ice.
In the Cydonia region of mars, there is an ancient pyramid. Deep within the pyramid is an alien device which will turn the water ice into a Earth-like breathable atmosphere.
There is a catch though. There are agents already on-planet who will stop at nothing to keep you from activating the machine.
It would take a madman to even consider it. More specifically, a madman who's mind has already been scrambled by a dramatically failed lobotomy. That man may be you.
Re:Okay (Score:4, Funny)
My eyes just popped.
Re:Okay (Score:0, Funny)