There are plenty of people who would trade twenty or thirty years of their Earth life for a final five or ten as a pioneer on (or in) Mars. I probably wouldn’t volunteer yet, but once I’m in my 60’s? Maybe… It’s one way of eliminating anxiety around living too long with dementia.
Sure, but there are political considerations as well. It's a lot harder to sell sending a 30 year old to die in five years on Mars than it is to sell a 60 year old doing the same.
As to 'shielding', there's plenty on Mars. It's called dirt and rock. There's a high likelihood that caves are available, for one thing. In the short term, other needs may be satisfied via shipment from Earth. The initial colony can be scouted, supplied, and constructed using unmanned missions.
Longer term habitation will involve Martian agriculture. Microbes have already been developed to transform Martian soil into an arable form.
Back to the radiation question, after some quick research it's clear that as long as the living quarters are shielded (as above), a few hours of exposure a day are very low risk. The average dose rate at the Martian surface is well under 220 micrograys per day, and the levels only very rarely exceed that value. If one were out on the surface for five hours a day, the yearly dose would be less than that allowed for radiation workers in the USA. That level is considered negligible for increased cancers and other health problems.
Given that survival is assured, what's there is a new world, virtually unlimited resources, and unlimited potential.
ck2 · · focus · HN ↗
it's physically impossible with current technology for humans to survive a trip to Mars and live on the surface
space really, really wants to kill life
cosmic rays will kill humans before they even make it to Mars
there is no current technology that shields from cosmic rays
we should appreciate the earth greatly for its atmosphere and magnetosphere that shields us from them
best emulation idea so far is to surround astronauts with several feet of water
but we don't have the lift capacity for that much water weight
the total time on the moon outside the capsule per person maximum was 22 hours
the astronauts kept seeing bursts of light even with their eyes closed
when NASA inspected the helmets there were microscopic groove where some had made it all the way through
cosmic rays are physical particles traveling near the speed of light
the bursts of light were their nerves and other cells being destroyed by the cosmic rays
it was happening to their brains and CNS too
mice exposed to simulated cosmic rays became slow and stupid
criddell · · focus · HN ↗
bot403 · · focus · HN ↗
criddell · · focus · HN ↗
ck2 · · focus · HN ↗
not unless there is a leap in shielding technology
and as someone 60, let me explain you have no idea how your shift in desire will become quality of life, less pain and suffering
but we'll actually get technology to improve aging and quality of life in aging way before humans are able to travel to Mars and live there
I mean what's there if you aren't going to survive?
Go live in a desert if you want a living challenge, it's same thing but far less radiation
ElectronCharge · · focus · HN ↗
Longer term habitation will involve Martian agriculture. Microbes have already been developed to transform Martian soil into an arable form.
Back to the radiation question, after some quick research it's clear that as long as the living quarters are shielded (as above), a few hours of exposure a day are very low risk. The average dose rate at the Martian surface is well under 220 micrograys per day, and the levels only very rarely exceed that value. If one were out on the surface for five hours a day, the yearly dose would be less than that allowed for radiation workers in the USA. That level is considered negligible for increased cancers and other health problems.
Given that survival is assured, what's there is a new world, virtually unlimited resources, and unlimited potential.