Scientists at the University of Michigan and NASA are exploring the possibility of using ‘active shielding’ to generate electromagnetic or electrostatic fields that could divert much of the harmful radiation away from a surface habitat or spacecraft.
As missions prepare to take humans to the moon or Mars, scientists must confront “The Harshest Reality” of outer space: It’s full of radiation from our sun and beyond. Scientists at the University of Michigan and NASA are exploring the possibility of using ‘active shielding’ to generate electromagnetic or electrostatic fields that could divert much of the harmful radiation away from a surface habitat or spacecraft. This work involving the Space Physics Research Laboratory and XTRM Labs at U-M was featured in an article in Aerospace America titled “The Harshest Reality.” | April 2023