3D-printed ‘hydrogels’ could be future space radiation shields for astronaut trips to Mars – Those tiny colorful dinosaur toys that grow bigger underwater might hold the key to protecting astronauts as they journey through space.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/tech/3d-printed-hydrogels-could-be-future-space-radiation-shields-for-astronaut-trips-to-mars
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From the article
>New research suggests a novel solution: a material called “hydrogel” — the same technology used for the ‘grow monster’ toys — could shield space travelers from harmful radiation.
>A research team from the Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group at Ghent University in Belgium have been testing this type of superabsorbent polymer as an alternative radiation shield.
>”The superabsorbent polymer that we are using can be processed using multiple different techniques, which is a rare and advantageous quality amongst polymers,” Manon Minsart, a postdoctoral assistant at Ghent Universaid, said in a statement. “Our method of choice is [3D printing](https://www.space.com/best-3d-printers), which allows us to create a hydrogel in almost any shape we want.”
That solves some problems, but you still need tons and tons of water up there for any decent shielding. The shields need to be many centimeters thick, depending on how long they’re staying up there. Those shields aren’t “the key”, but perhaps “one tool among many” needed for safe space travel.