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Astronauts en route to Mars could be bombarded with 700 times the Earth's radiation, making missions on the Red Planet "impossible" at the moment.
The European Space Agency has brought together a multidisciplinary team of researchers to learn more about the effects of space radiation on health.
They are also exploring ways to better protect astronauts as we move forward in the solar system.
Researchers are working on developing risk guidelines for astronauts traveling to the moon and beyond.
They also test biological samples, electronic components and protective materials against artificial cosmic rays in the laboratory.
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Astronauts on their way to Mars could be bombarded with 700 times the Earth's radiation – making missions on the red planet "impossible" at the moment
An astronaut would be exposed to at least 60% of the total radiation dose limit for his entire career by making a six-month trip to Mars.
This finding was revealed by data from the ExoMars Orbiter of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian Roscomos.
"One day in space is equivalent to the radiation received on Earth for a whole year," said radiation physicist Marco Durante.
It would take months for Mars missions to arrive on the red planet.
"In the current state of things, we can not go to Mars because of radiation," he added. "It would be impossible to respect the acceptable dose limits."
ESA has assembled a forum of researchers working to protect the health of future astronauts on the moon and further into the solar system.
Covering disciplines in biology, medicine, physics and space science, these experts have been advising ESA since 2015.
"The real problem is the great uncertainty surrounding the risks," explained Professor Durante, who is part of the ESA team formed to study radiation.
"We do not understand spatial radiation very well and its long-term effects are unknown," he added.
The Earth's atmosphere and the magnetic field act to protect us from the bombardment of cosmic rays.
These are energetic particles traveling at a speed close to that of light that enters the human body.
Unpredictable events of solar particles from the sun can also emit large doses of radiation over short periods.
In space and on Mars, where the intrinsic magnetic field is dead and the atmosphere relatively thin, astronauts do not enjoy the same protections.
Even aboard the International Space Station, astronauts are 200 times more exposed to radiation than an airline pilot or radiology nurse would.
During long space missions, it is thought that cosmic ray bombardment would increase the risk of cancer and cause damage to the brain, central nervous system and heart, opening the way to various degenerative diseases.
In addition, a higher percentage of early cataracts have been reported among astronauts, while results from NASA's recent twin study have revealed that radiation exposure can result in damage to the astronauts. DNA and corresponding modifications of gene expression.
Even aboard the International Space Station, astronauts are 200 times more exposed to radiation through their work than would an airline pilot or radiology nurse.
As a result, NASA continuously monitors local weather information.
If space radiation is detected, mission officials in Houston, Texas can ask astronauts to abort the space walks, move to more protected areas of the in-orbit lab, and even adjust the altitude of the station to reduce any impact on health.
Using passive radiation detectors scattered around the International Space Station, ESA has been striving to map the radiation field aboard the laboratory orbiting the planet over the past seven years.
More recently, ESA astronauts, Andreas Mogensen and Thomas Pesquet, wore a mobile radiation measurement dosimeter during their respective missions in the ISS, which then allowed them to know their exposure in time. real during their stay in the space.
The same team that led this research will also use radiation detectors to determine the level of radiation dose applied to the skin and internal organs by an astronaut during a mission on the Moon.
The detectors will be placed in a human body model, called "ghost", which will be taken aboard the NASA Orion spacecraft.
The European Space Agency has brought together a forum of researchers working to protect the health of future astronauts on the moon and further into the solar system.
One of the key recommendations of the ESA team was to develop a risk model for astronauts moving beyond the International Space Station – a model describing the recommended radiation dose limits.
The model should "provide information on cancer risks and non-cancer health problems for astronauts traveling to the Moon and Mars in agreement with all space agencies," said surgeon and radiologist Dr. ESA, Ulrich Straube.
In addition, ESA has partnered with particle accelerator facilities from all over Europe to create their own cosmic radiation in the lab.
By bombarding biological cell samples and different types of materials with artificially generated radiation, researchers hope to learn more about the impact of space radiation and how best to protect it.
"The research is paying off," said Professor Durante.
"Lithium appears as a promising material for shielding in planetary missions," he added.
ESA has partnered with particle accelerator facilities across Europe (such as FAIR in Germany) to create their own cosmic radiation in the laboratory to learn more about the impact of space radiation and the best ways to protect it.
Multidisciplinary work to ensure the safety and health of future astronauts continues.
"Space radiation research is an area that covers the entire field of life sciences and physical sciences and has important applications on Earth." Jennifer Ngo-Anh, ESA Team Leader for Human Research, Biology and the Physical Sciences.
"Research in this area will remain a high priority for ESA."
WHAT IS THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF EARTH AND HOW IS IT PROTECTED?
The Earth's magnetic field is a layer of electric charge that surrounds our planet.
The field protects life on our planet because it deflects the charged particles emitted by the sun, called "solar wind".
Without this protective layer, these particles would probably eliminate the ozone layer, our only line of defense against harmful UV rays.
The Earth's magnetic field (blue) is a layer of electric charge that surrounds our planet. The field protects life on our planet because it deflects charged particles emitted by the sun (orange), called "solar wind" (artist impression).
Scientists believe that the Earth's core is responsible for creating its magnetic field.
When the molten iron in the outer core of the Earth escapes, it creates convection currents.
These currents generate electric currents that create the magnetic field according to a natural process called geodynamo.
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