New Books Network James Welsh et al., "Weathering Space" (American Scientist 114:1 2026)
Dec 31, 2025
James Welsh, a radiation oncologist and researcher, delves into the radiation hazards of deep-space missions. He highlights how past missions benefited from Earth's magnetic shielding but warns that future explorations, especially to Mars, face significant risks. Topics include the intricacies of ionizing radiation and its biological effects, the limitations of conventional shielding, potential strategies like layered materials, and even intriguing ideas like using fungi for protection. Welsh paints a vivid picture of the challenges that await astronauts beyond our planet.
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Apollo Got Lucky In 1972
- The August 1972 solar storm nearly coincided with Apollo-era launches and could have delivered potentially fatal doses.
- Welsh calls Apollo's timing fortunate because a direct hit then would have been disastrous for astronauts.
Transit Time Drives Mars Radiation Risk
- Mars missions expose astronauts to much longer cumulative deep-space radiation than lunar trips.
- The deep-space transit, not just the destination surface, drives most of the dose risk for Mars missions.
Plan Routes And Harden Electronics
- Avoid crossing the densest parts of the Van Allen belts by choosing polar or hole-through-the-donut routes.
- Harden electronics and add redundancy when passage through belts is unavoidable.