---
title: "Mars Astronauts Would Get Horrifying Dose of Radiation, Study Finds"
description: "According to a new study, astronauts who board a crewed mission to Mars will likely face devastating levels of radiation."
date: "2022-08-15"
modified: "2022-08-15"
authors:
  - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré"
    job_title: "Senior Staff Writer"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/mars-astronauts-radiation-study"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Mars"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "mars"
  - "Mars mission"
  - "radiation"
  - "the digest"
---

# Mars Astronauts Would Get Horrifying Dose of Radiation, Study Finds

![According to a new study, astronauts who board a crewed mission to Mars will likely face devastating levels of radiation.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/mars-astronauts-radiation-study-1.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Getty Images\</em\>*

## Sorry, Elon

So, uh, there might be a serious wrench in Elon Musk's plans to [colonize Mars](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-nuclear-armageddon>).

According to an alarming — though yet-to-be-peer-reviewed — [new study](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2208.00892>), astronauts who underwent a crewed mission to the Red Planet would likely face devastating levels of radiation — even when wearing protective metal shields.

## Bad Trip

In order to realistically examine how much cumulative radiation the astronauts would face, the scientists based their research on a 1,000-day crewed mission — 600 days of travel time, 400 days on the Martian surface — to our neighboring planet.

As [*New Scientist* reports](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2333304-mars-astronauts-would-get-unsafe-radiation-doses-even-with-shielding/>), the work was partially inspired by the gender gap in space radiation research. Most studies in the field have focused on male bodies — NASA, in fact, is only [sending test dummies](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2318260-space-test-dummies-will-measure-female-radiation-risk-for-first-time/>) with female anatomies into space for the first time *this year*.

With that in mind, the scientists were sure to include comprehensive virtual models of both male and female anatomies in their study. These models were then mercilessly pelted with simulated cosmic radiation, including that caused by solar flares, and studied using particle-tracking software usually used in [particle accelerator research](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/cern-scientists-annoyed>). (It's also worth noting that the model accounted for exposures with aluminum shielding and without.)

## Radiation Station

And regarding whether such missions would be safe or not, the results were unfortunately in favor of "not."

After surveying the impact of the 1,000-day simulated mission on over 40 of the digitally-modeled body parts and organs, the researchers determined that most of the individual organs examined contained radiation levels over one sievert — as *New Scientist* reports, most space agencies worldwide stipulate that no astronaut should be exposed to over one sievert of radiation throughout their entire career, while NASA maintains that 0.6 sieverts should be the max.

As the study has yet to be peer reviewed, none of this data is entirely certain. But if it ultimately checks out, humanity definitely has some protective measures to figure out before any astronauts — let alone a [whole chunk of humanity](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-team-humanity-mars-decade-space>) — could safely make their way to Earth's dusty red neighbor.

**READ MORE:** [*Mars astronauts would get unsafe radiation doses even with shielding*](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2333304-mars-astronauts-would-get-unsafe-radiation-doses-even-with-shielding/>) \[*New Scientist*\]

**More on Mars:** [*Nasa Finally Figured out What That Weird Spaghetti It Found on Mars Was*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-figured-out-spaghetti-mars>)

## Author
At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride."

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/mharrisondupre.bsky.social>)