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NASA is preparing for an “unprecedented opportunity” to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts on Mars.
The sun is entering a period of peak activity called solar maximum, which occurs roughly every 11 years. During this period, giant explosions erupt on the sun’s surface – including solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
When a series of these solar events erupts, it’s called a solar storm, and these launch radiation deep into space.
While we’re protected on Earth due to the planet’s magnetic field, Mars lost such defences long ago, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the sun’s energetic particles.
Scientists still don’t know how badly solar storms will affect humans and robots on Mars in the future but they’re hoping to figure that out during these solar storms thanks to NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter and the Curiosity rover.
MAVEN, which entered the Red Planet’s orbit in 2014, observes radiation, solar particles and more from high above Mars.
It can detect big solar flares early from its position, and can therefore send warnings to other Mars spacecraft teams when radiation levels begin to rise.
The advanced notice enables missions to turn off instruments that could be vulnerable to solar flares, which can interfere with electronics and radio communication.
Ultraviolet image of the sun captured in 2020. Pic: ESA/EIT
Meanwhile, the Curiosity rover, which has been on Mars since 2012, is on the ground gathering data through its Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD).
RAD is helping scientists understand how much shielding from radiation astronauts could expect by using caves, lava tubes, or cliff faces for protection.
It analyses how radiation breaks down carbon-based…
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