Radiation environment
Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR)
Extremely energetic charged particles from outside the Solar System — the remnants of supernovae and other violent events. They pervade deep space, are hard to shield against, and pose the dominant long-term radiation risk on missions to Mars.
Environment & effects
Part of:Cosmic Rays
Knowledge connections
- Part ofCosmic Rays
- AffectsMars
- AffectsThe Moon
- Associated withRadiation Shielding
- Associated withSpace radiation exposure
- Associated withExtremophiles
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.