Colonizing Mars Research Paper

Radiation Factors Risk Assessment
When colonizing Mars, there are a variety of different hazards that can affect the astronauts colonizing, including radiation. Radiation is found everywhere in outer space. It can cause cancer, death, and a decrease in blood count. According to the impact vs. probability matrix, radiation is rated as a 25 due to the high chance of being exposed and the high probability that radiation will negatively impact the astronauts’ future.
As astronauts leave the protection of Earth’s atmosphere, radiation becomes a hazard in outer space. The three types of radiation found in space include galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), belt radiation, and solar particle events (SPE). Galactic cosmic rays are rays that come from other
solar systems or deep space. As the atoms travel at high speeds through space, the outer electrons are stripped away, leaving only the atomic nuclei, creating galactic cosmic rays. Many of these atoms originate from supernovas, and ninety percent of them are protons that were separated from hydrogen atoms, according to Maggie Koerth-Baker. When GCRs interact with each other, they emit gamma rays. Belt radiation originates from particles that come from the magnetic field on Earth. Surrounding Earth is the Van Allen belts, which are held together by Earth’s magnetic field. This belt of radiation contains charged particles that are gathered from space. The belt helps to prevent radiation particles from entering Earth’s atmosphere. Solar particle events, which are also known as a coronal mass ejections, are high-energy alpha particles, protons, and electrons that the sun releases. During solar flares, the sun releases high amounts of these particles, which are hard to predict how dangerous the radiation released will be.
On average, a human receives two milliSieverts (mSv) of radiation every year. One mSv is equivalent to three x-rays located in the chest. According to the research conducted by the Mars rover Curiosity, astronauts will receive approximately 300 mSv of radiation over the 180-day journey to Mars. The 300 mSv of radiation is equivalent to 24 CAT scans on Earth. This is 15 times more radiation than the annual amount of exposure for an average human. According to the article Understanding Space Radiation, it states that compared to the Earth’s atmosphere, Mar’s atmosphere is only one percent as thick. Mars does not contain a radiation belt similar to Earth’s Van Allen belt. The global magnetic field is used to help shield the planet from radiation. Without the belt, the astronauts are just as exposed to radiation on Mars as they are floating in space.
The long-duration exposure to radiation is dangerous for astronauts due to all of the harmful effects it can have on the body. The radiation that astronauts are exposed to includes gamma rays, high-energy electrons and protons, and x-rays. Some short term effects that radiation has on the body includes a decrease in the blood count and nausea. If astronauts are exposed to enough radiation with the equivalency of 5,000 x-rays in the chest, this can cause radiation sickness. Long term effects include harming the reproductive system, along with causing cataracts, cancer, cell damage, and even death. Every week that an astronaut is exposed to cosmic radiation, this shortens their life span by one day. Every seven to fourteen days that astronauts are in space, they are exposed to the equivalency of 50 x-rays in the chest. The Skylab mission lasted in space for 87 days, causing the astronauts to be exposed to three times the maximum dosage of yearly radiation exposure. In order to protect astronauts from the dangers of radiation in outer space, there are several possibilities to decrease human exposure when colonizing Mars.
According to Rob Garner, two possible ways of protection include using hydrogen and polyethylene to shield astronauts from the harmful effects of radiation. Hydrogen is a great form of radiation shielding because it absorbs the particles well. Hydrogen is normally found as a single electron and proton, causing it to be a great radiation shield, due to the similar size of hydrogen and the protons and neutrons from radiation. Hydrogen can be extracted from the water ice found in the north and south poles on Mars. The element would be extracted through the process of electrolysis, where an electric current causes the compound to go through chemical decomposition. The living corridors on Mars could have walls containing hydrogen on the interior. The walls could also contain water in the interior due to the human need for water to survive. Water contains the element, hydrogen, so by using water in between the walls, this would help to solve storage problems. Polyethylene is another material that can possibly be used. It contains a high percentage of hydrogen, allowing the material to block out the space radiation. Polyethylene can be used as a lining on the shelter walls to help prevent radiation from entering. Another option for repelling radiation is by using inflatable balls that produce a static charge of about 100
megavolts, which was invented by Buhler and Lane. These spheres would be spread out around the Mars base. They are made of a fabric which is coated in gold, in order to work as a conductor. They are made to attract the radiation by producing the same charge as the radiation particles surrounding it. The final method for preventing radiation on Mars is by building a shelter underground. By using the Mars’s regolith as a five meter thick barrier on top of the shelter, this will give the astronauts equal protection from the radiation as compared to Earth’s atmosphere. There are several different health supplements that can be used in order to help reduce the effects of radiation and also cure it.
Before the astronauts travel to space, bone marrow samples are taken, according to the Lesson 9 reading, to help reverse cancer in the future if diagnosed. If the astronauts are planning on having children after returning to Earth, they can also preserve sperms and ovaries for future use. Astronauts should take antioxidants to help prevent the radiation from destroying their body. These antioxidants include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin
E.
Radiation is a major hazard found all over space that can harm the astronauts’ health. The issue is identified as a risk that covers the entire mission from start to finish. All humans who leave the protection of Earth’s atmosphere are at risk of exposure, which can cause cancer, future health problems, and death. Astronauts can be protected by taking antioxidants, and living in a shelter covered with hydrogen, the Mars regolith, or polyethylene. Radiation is an important topic that must not be ignored, because of its major impacts that it has on the future missions.