Spaceship "force field" could protect astronauts on trip to Mars

One small step further toward making sci-fi reality:

idea is to use a portable "mini-magnetosphere," which would protect a spacecraft from harmful solar storms and cosmic rays in much the same way the Earth's magnetosphere naturally protects the planet.

Full Story

"Captain, the forcefield is down to 10%!"
"We, can't take much more of this, give her all you got!"
"The engines canna take anymooor!"

Interesting reading! :-) Cheers.

Here's the BBC's take on the story: HERE

Some people think we already went to Mars:

In 1950, the U.S. Army Guided Missile Center was moved from Ft. Bliss to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, where von Braun was transferred as technical director. In September of 1951, von Braun’s paper on an 869-day Mars mission was read to the Second International Congress of Astronautics, London (the “Super Zeppelin” probably already made the trip in much faster time, beginning in 1945). On Oct. 12,1951, an ‘unmanned’ two-stage rocket (probably a reworked German two-staged A-9) reached a 250 mile altitude from White Sands.

Next to last paragraph under: THE ROCKET RACKET - Wernher von Braun, Willy Ley, Dr. Robert Goddard, And The Kreisel Teller-p2, In New Mexico and Peenemunde

The Super Zeppelin with 11" steel hull did the protection but seeing
the propulsion system is already done by a surrounding charge field
the protection is perhaps built in and this "force field" has been
used already and verified.

ED: from the OP

That is actually an idea that has been around for decades, and was shown last year to be at least theoretically possible, but it has only now been taken beyond the realm of computer simulations.

Sure, since at least 1945.


[edit on 11/5/2008 by TeslaandLyne]

reply to post by TeslaandLyne


Why does it seem that many of the 20th Century's greatest triumphs originated from it's most despised period? It seems to me that German technology and brains that was "captured" and assimilated by the Russians and Americans sparked (or at least was major fuel on) the fire of our desire to reach outer space.

How was Germany able to leap so far ahead in such a short time? We often stereotype Germans as dour and unimaginative, but based on speculative secret Nazi tech, they were and are proof that a methodological approach to a problem (as opposed to our usual desire to adopt the first, often flawed, solution that is offered).
Last Talons of the Eagle

The Germans or their backers were intense on technology.
Lets say, once you got it you go with it.
And they did.
Not only masters of mechanical engineering with power sources
of petroleum, compressed air and liquid air and hydrazine and
any number of power sources and uses.
Gyroscopes for their rockets from Sperry perhaps.
And how about the lack of gyro stabilized rocket launches
when Eisenhower's missile gap had to be closed.
He had to OK pay increases for engineers for a priority program.

Electrical Engineering and Physics became hidden or non productive
after Tesla set up everything need for power companies but
much more was in the wings. Tesla was visible and his work was
hidden. Possible home generators that would end the power companies
would never have investments. However they might be used
without our knowledge.

Before I mention something about a space travel obstacle, the
idea of how Germany might have gone after technology might
be shown in this example ( weather fiction or deduce from
research):

The electrically powered “Kreisel Teller” (“Gyrating Saucer”) was a secret of such importance that only the elite of the Nazi hierarchy were privy to these secrets. Adam Weishaupt’s Illuminati beginnings were at Ingolstadt. The Illuminati appeared to be alive and well even before Weishaupt, among the Prussian aristocracy into which Wernher von Braun was born. I will have more to say about this later.

From

There is no telling what technology the powers had Von Braun look into.

The gama and X rays and many other radiation has no known shield
except thick walls. A force field may not be enough.


Do you think "Last Talons of the Eagle" will tell us any more than
what has been in common circulation for the past 50 years.
Books paid for by the same people hiding the technology can't
help at all.

Well right now I'm thinking space travel is not possible.
I can't even see how Moon Walkers survived.
Van Allen and Von Braun would have to be in on the lie of
going to the Moon. That would be first to determine.
Lets see if China or Japan or India walk on the Moon.

Originally posted by TeslaandLyne
The gama and X rays and many other radiation has no known shield
except thick walls. A force field may not be enough.

What makes you think there are enough gamma and x rays in space to kill someone who spends about a week in space?

Well right now I'm thinking space travel is not possible.

Well if you think that there are enough gamma and x rays naturally occuring in local space to kill someone that quickly, it would indeed mean that space travel is completely impossible, not just moon walks. Earth's magnetic field does nothing to stop gamma and x rays, so shuttles and space stations would be at just as much risk. The thing is that I've seen both of the latter in orbit with my telescope, so it must not be impossible.

Originally posted by TeslaandLyne
The gama and X rays and many other radiation has no known shield
except thick walls. A force field may not be enough.

Yes, radiation in space is a known but quantifiable problem. NASA has set radiation dose limits for astronauts except for exploratory missions such as a potential Mars journey.
link

Well right now I'm thinking space travel is not possible.

You say you think space travel may be impossible - are you referring to long distance travel to other planets in the solar system or possibly other star systems (if we could overcome the distances) or are do you mean you think any travel outside earth's atmosphere? If it is the latter then do you truly believe there have been NO astronauts launched EVER?

Valeri Polyakov spent 437 days in space. Long enough to make a round trip to Mars! Sergei Krikalev has spent a total of 803 days.
Spaceflight Records
How was they able to overcome the radiation issues?

Longer periods away from Earth's protective atmosphere also increase interplanetary travelers' exposure time to potentially lethal doses of space radiation. Dr. Potapov said protecting [a] crew from space radiation is a matter of timing and distance. "A mission to Mars should take place during the less-intensive phase ofsolar activity. The flight itself should be made as short as possible. Special protection means includingon-board shelter, medicines and specially engineered spacecraft skin. Overall, we believe that 10 grams (0.35 ounce) of aluminum per 1 square centimeter (0.15 square inch) will be enough to provide an adequate crew protection from radiation during Mars journey."

Russias Race to Mars

We both quoted the same excerpts from the previous poster ... Yes I agree with you and hope I was able to add some value to your comment.

I wonder how aliens deal with radiation, or maybe radiation is the reason why Greys are hairless.