The fourth and final installment of this semester’s Space @ TU Darmstadt lecture series will take place on 17.07.2025 at 18:00 in S105/122.

Is space radiation a showstopper for the mission to Mars?

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Marco Durante

(Biophysics Department, Director, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt and full professor of Physics, Institut für Physik Kondensierter Materie, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt)

As humanity sets its sights on crewed missions to Mars, one of the most formidable challenges remains exposure to space radiation. Unlike low Earth orbit, deep space travel subjects astronauts to cosmic radiation and acute solar particle events, posing significant health risks. In our last lecture, Prof. Dr. Marco Durante will explore the biological effects of space radiation and whether radiation could ultimately limit human exploration of Mars. Drawing from his biophysics research at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Prof. Durante will assess the realistic risks and potential solutions, addressing the critical question: Is space radiation a showstopper – or a solvable obstacle – for Mars missions?

More informationen at this Link .