Long space journeys; Solar radiation shielding

[25Hz]

When it comes to deep space travel, the problem of solar radiations arises, or more precisely how to shield the astronauts from it.

 

I know that we are protected by the magnetic field of the Earth, but what's the main issue in using the same principles in space?

Couldn't we generate a magnetic field around a spaceship? Would it be too heavy? Or would it need too much power?

I'm sure the answer is pretty obvious to physicists because I never even heard of this possibility.

 

Thanks in advance.

[swansont]

I think the issue is one of scale. The earth's magnetic field deflects charged particles but can do so because there is a large distance over which it can act — the physical length of the dipole is a few thousand kilometers.

 

The atmosphere also attenuates the radiation — roughly a kilogram of material per cm^2. It's costly to lift mass into space.

[justinater22]

Actually there is tons of research being done in this NASA is focusing on materials that will block more radiation then aluminum does. But some are thinking about shields the thing is these do exist in the form of magnets. So why went we using these magnets right now? They are far away. There is evidence that on the moon there are magnets the reject the suns harmful rays. The moon isn't it there are rock molded with the magnetic field from when mars was hot and had one still. Similar evidence was found on asteroids too. These magnets don't even need to be huge (which is why the idea was dropped in the first place). In fact some powerful magnets are about the size of your thumb. The problem it is still being researched and all of these materials are far away and hard to get. I guess that is the only real problem we are facing with the shield.

Edited December 5, 2012 by justinater22

[25Hz]

Rather than mining for exotic materials, couldn't we generate enough electric current to power an electromagnet? I know that generating electricity in outer space is very limited, but theoretically that should do the trick, right?

[justinater22]

Rather than mining for exotic materials, couldn't we generate enough electric current to power an electromagnet? I know that generating electricity in outer space is very limited, but theoretically that should do the trick, right?

 

It is possible only for it to protect a vehicle in space and all it's passengers it would need to be really big. Since it is so big it would have trouble launching and then there's that whole space for the crew problem. And if you use less then enough to protect everyone it could have no or negative benefit.

[Enthalpy]

ESA as well considers this possibility, and frankly, I'm not enthusiastic about the report I've seen. I hope ESA has other better work than the report found on the Web.

 

It needs some 5T in a big volume, at least 3 times the habitat diameter, which would be created by MgB₂ superconductor.

 

- The report states "no loss because superconductor", which is grossly false. People who wrote this just ignore the topic. Very bad start.

- Consequently, it doesn't tell how helium is liquefied... Only heat leaks through insulation are considered, not ohmic losses in the type II superconductor.

- Why not ask the LHC's designers to make the report? At least these people achieved something, and have seen a quenching.

- Travellers are supposed to live within half a tesla! This prevents absolutely every so small amount of ferromagnetic material, which means no technology on board. Even metal parts would be hard to rotate, and currents would create torques...

- What happens when the electromagnet quenches? This happens quite a few times on Earth with dramatic consequences - devastating boom. In space it's deadly. This risk alone looks bigger than cancer risk.

 

My impressions:

- Wrong people were asked to make this study.

- The task was understood as an intellectual walk, not to make a usable design.

- Maybe the authors didn't even notice the impossibilities.

- Completely impossible until many huge hurdles are solved.

[mr.spaceman]

Maybe this question isn't touching directly the topic but it's about space flight and about a new generation of spacecraft Orion.

It's been said that this spacecraft will give humans opportunity to explore space, where never been explored before.

Is there anything basically new in design?

Is it cheaper?

What are its superiorities comparing to past spacecrafts