Researchers in Huntsville say they may have found a better shield to protect astronauts from cosmic radiation and use as the structural skin and walls of spaceships, planet outposts and space stations. “What we are doing here with the radiation study program will affect all other long-term NASA space exploration missions,” said Ed Semmes, NASA radiation study program manager at the National Space Science and Technology Center. The NSSTC and Marshall Space Flight Center are working together on the project. “Going anywhere in the solar system or universe will depend on protecting crews from radiation,” said Semmes. “Lunar exploration, which may be in the near future, and if we chose to go to Mars in the future, will be dependent on this research.”
