Tag Archives: solar activity

Space radiation increasing, becoming more hazardous for human explorers

As future missions look to travel back to the Moon or even to Mars, new research in Space Weather cautions that the exposure to radiation is much higher than previously thought and could have serious implications on both astronauts and … Continue reading

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Solar eruptions could electrify Martian moons

Powerful solar eruptions could electrically charge areas of the Martian moon Phobos to hundreds of volts, presenting a complex electrical environment that could possibly affect sensitive electronics carried by future robotic explorers, according to a new NASA study. The study … Continue reading

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MAVEN: Large solar storm sparks global aurora, doubles radiation levels at surface

An unexpectedly strong blast from the Sun hit Mars this month, observed by NASA missions in orbit and on the surface. “NASA’s distributed set of science missions is in the right place to detect activity on the Sun and examine … Continue reading

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Mars mystery plumes caused by space weather?

Mysterious high-rise clouds seen appearing suddenly in the martian atmosphere on a handful of occasions may be linked to space weather, say Mars Express scientists. [The results are published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] Amateur astronomers using telescopes on … Continue reading

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Protecting Mars astronauts from space radiation

On Aug. 7, 1972, in the heart of the Apollo era, an enormous solar flare exploded from the sun’s atmosphere. Along with a gigantic burst of light in nearly all wavelengths, this event accelerated a wave of energetic particles. Mostly … Continue reading

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MAVEN: Mars & solar coronal mass ejections

Two main types of explosions occur on the Sun: solar flares and coronal mass ejections [CME]…giant clouds of solar material that take one to three days to reach Earth. [...] From Sept. 22 to 26, 2014, we explore different aspects … Continue reading

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Radiation risks on manned Mars missions

The basic plan for an initial manned mission to Mars, including a landing, calls for a flight lasting about 430 days. While the mission would involve obvious dangers, among these — but often overlooked — are the risks posed by … Continue reading

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