title: Radiation shielding estimates for manned Mars space flight.
abstract: In the analysis of the required radiation shielding protection of spacecraft during a Mars flight, specific effects of solar activity (SA) on the intensity of galactic and solar cosmic rays were taken into consideration.  Three spaceflight periods were considered: (1) maximum SA; (2) minimum SA; and (3) intermediate SA, when intensities of both galactic and solar cosmic rays are moderately high.  Scenarios of spaceflights utilizing liquid-propellant rocket engines, low- and intermediate-thrust nuclear electrojet engines, and nuclear rocket engines, all of which have been designed in the Soviet Union, are reviewed.  Calculations were performed on the basis of a set of standards for radiation protection approved by the U.S.S.R. State Committee for Standards.  It was found that the lowest estimated mass of a Mars spacecraft, including the radiation shielding mass, obtained using a combination of a liquid propellant engine with low and intermediate thrust nuclear electrojet engines, would be 500-550 metric tons.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Radiation Protection in the Cosmos, Moscow, U.S.S.R.
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Dudkin
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kovalev
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kolomensky
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Sakovich
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Semenov
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Demin
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Benton
mesh_terms: D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D018535:Mars; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012306:Risk; D016082:Solar System; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D014586:USSR