For humans, being in space and landing on any planet is associated with great risks, and one of the most important, cosmic radiation. A thick layer of material could be used to isolate charged particles, but this would inevitably increase the spacecraft’s mass and reduce the payload. Alternative solutions are needed, and researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have suggested that the CREW HaT concept aims to create shielding based on superconducting magnets. The authors of the idea have already received funding from NASA.

“We figured out how to protect ships from cosmic rays,” Elena D’Onghia wrote on NASA’s website. “We use new superconducting tape technology and a new magnetic field configuration.” In general, scientists decided to model the Earth’s protective magnetic field in miniature with the help of modern materials.

D’Ongia and colleagues designed lightweight magnetic coils. They will be placed around the ship’s habitats, and as a result, the magnetic field will repel charged particles. It is estimated that such a system will deflect up to 50 percent of hazardous beams, which, along with other measures, will reduce the in-flight radiation level to an acceptable level. These magnets can be installed on the Lunar Gateway, which has been in development for about a month, and the first modules are scheduled to launch in 2024. Source