Active Magnetic Shielding for Long Duration Manned Space Missions

The radiation risk due to ionizing particles is a critical issue for long duration manned space missions. The ionization losses in the materials of the spacecraft provide passive shielding effectively stopping low energy particles. However, the estimates of the material required to obtain an acceptable level of radiation result in a prohibitive mass. Active electromagnetic shields, which deflect the charged particles, have been considered as an alternative solution. A study of active magnetic shielding based on high-temperature superconductors (HTS) was initiated in an ESA study, and continued in the context of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. The aim of the effort was to provide a realistic evaluation of the possibilities based on the current technological level. The different configurations considered were assessed in terms of their technical feasibility and shielding efficiency.