Boeing suggests Deep Space Gateway for Mars missions

[Cathbad]

Actually, after the space shuttle disaster, the space missions went on hiatus, and there was much discussion whether to abandon space exploration all together, and shut down NASA.

 

[Lumens]

Why would that prevent it? You really think corporations would care?

If enough people die, it may at least be bad publicity.

We already accept loss of life as part of space exploration.

Yes, but this is different. There is a high probability that some people will die from radiation sickness. We already have this information, so we will knowingly be sending people to die. If that is seen as acceptable by everybody involved, including those in charge of the money flow, then fine, but I doubt it.

 

[Mike Donoghue]

If enough people die, it may at least be bad publicity.



Yes, but this is different. There is a high probability that some people will die from radiation sickness. We already have this information, so we will knowingly be sending people to die. If that is seen as acceptable by everybody involved, including those in charge of the money flow, then fine, but I doubt it.

That depends on how much shielding is available. NASA says that an "estimated Mars mission" of 3 years will expose an astronaut to 1,200 mSv of radiation**. That's a dose rate of 0.5 mSv per hour. The Mayo Clinic on their website states that mild radiation sickness is avoided if the total dose across a person's entire body is under 1000 mSv in a 6 hour period. In other words, if the dose rate is under 167 mSv per hour.

Where are you getting that any astronauts living on a space station, which I presume would be vastly more shielded than an Earth-Mars interplanetary craft, would die from radiation sickness ? Our atmosphere, for instance, is equivalent to ~30 feet of water worth of space radiation shielding. That can be achieve with 4 inches of steel, not including the station's structure and other materials.

**This comes from NASA's presentation, "Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge"

 

[Cathbad]

That depends on how much shielding is available. NASA says that an "estimated Mars mission" of 3 years will expose an astronaut to 1,200 mSv of radiation**. That's a dose rate of 0.5 mSv per hour. The Mayo Clinic on their website states that mild radiation sickness is avoided if the total dose across a person's entire body is under 1000 mSv in a 6 hour period. In other words, if the dose rate is under 167 mSv per hour.

Where are you getting that any astronauts living on a space station, which I presume would be vastly more shielded than an Earth-Mars interplanetary craft, would die from radiation sickness ? Our atmosphere, for instance, is equivalent to ~30 feet of water worth of space radiation shielding. That can be achieve with 4 inches of steel, not including the station's structure and other materials.

**This comes from NASA's presentation, "Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge"

Thanks. I thought it was all sounding a bit suspicious.

 

[Brian G Turner]

It seems like this project is pushing ahead, as Canada promises $1.4 billion to join the project: Canada joins Moon station project

 

[Parson]

It seems like this project is pushing ahead, as Canada promises $1.4 billion to join the project: Canada joins Moon station project

This isn't just Science Fantasy?

But, I'll still see it before I believe it. Supplying it, especially in the first years would be a major hurdle.