Avant de poser le pied sur Mars, les astronautes devront terrasser un danger invisible qui relègue le problème de la fusée au second plan. Les rayons cosmiques traversent les cellules et l’ADN, et ils...

Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events are interesting from a scientific perspective as they are the product of a broad set of physical processes from the corona out through the extent of the heliosphere, and provide insight into processes of particle acceleration and transport th

Spaceflight outside of the Earth's protective magnetic field is dangerous from a cosmic radiation perspective. Inside Earth's magnetic field, where the manned International Space Station (ISS) orbits, the radiation encountered is minimal and almost all is deflected by our planet's magnetic fields. However, outside that protective shield, the Sun's solar wind (high energy radiation, solar energetic particles or SEPs) consisting of protons, electrons, alpha particles and plasmas continuously bombards the spacecraft for the months or years of spaceflight. On occasion the Sun produces a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) that vastly increases the energy and volume of this radiation. These particles damage human DNA as well as living tissue and can destroy sensitive electronics. The Deployed Electromagnetic Radiation Deflector Shield (DERDS) provides a magnetic field that will deflect SEPs and CMEs and other harmful solar and cosmic rays away from a manned spacecraft, robotic spacecraft, or manned extra-planetary base stations using an electromagnet that is deployed between the spacecraft/station and the source of radiation and creates a magnetosphere or zone of minimal radiation in which the spacecraft or base station would reside.

Active shielding was first proposed in the '60s. We’re finally close to making it work.

High-energy cosmic radiation damages cells and DNA, causing cancer, and secondary neutrons—generated especially from the planetary surfaces—can be up to 20 times more harmful than other radiations. Aluminum, the most widely used shielding material, has the drawback of generating additional secondary neutrons when below a certain thickness.

Ionizing radiation has dire effects on all materials and biological organisms in space. This means that any spacecraft...

Avant de poser le pied sur Mars, les astronautes devront terrasser un danger invisible qui relègue le problème de la fusée au second plan. Les rayons cosmiques traversent les cellules et l’ADN, et ils augmentent fortement le risque de maladies graves. Les scientifiques testent déjà des boucliers et des solutions biologiques pour réduire ces effets.