Is it possible to send astronauts to the planet Mars? A study estimates that it is possible, but it is advisable to leave at the right time and not to exceed a certain time limit.
NASA, SpaceX or even China, there are many players considering a manned mission to Mars over the next fifteen years. But are such projects even possible? In addition to the many technical and psychological challenges inherent in a trip to the red planet, the question of solar and galactic radiation also poses a real problem. On Earth, we are protected from these harmful rays, but in space like on Mars, it is something else. And our bodies are not adapted.
So concretely, if we consider the impact of this radiation on the human body, is it possible to send astronauts to Mars? A study led by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) looked into the question. The short answer is:"yes, but it depends".
The intensity of solar energetic particles from the Sun and the intensity of galactic cosmic rays from distant galaxies depends on solar activity . As part of this work, the researchers combined geophysical models of radiation over the time of a solar cycle with models of how that radiation would affect both human passengers and a spacecraft.
According to their study, humans should be able to travel safely to and from Mars provided the ship's hull is sufficiently armored and the mission lasts less than four years (remember that the round trip alone will take about eighteen months). A longer trip would indeed expose the astronauts to a dangerously high amount of radiation .
The timing of such a human mission would also a difference. According to the models, the ideal would be to leave the Earth when solar activity is at its peak (this is called solar maximum). Although it may seem counter-intuitive, calculations show that the most dangerous and energetic particles from distant galaxies would thus be deflected by the increased solar activity during this period .
“This study shows that while space radiation imposes strict limits and presents technological challenges for a human mission to Mars, such a mission is still viable” provided that it "does not exceed four years “, conclude the authors.
