[jesustrek]

Future astronauts could benefit from a magnetic "umbrella" that deflects harmful space radiation around their crew capsule, scientists say.
The super-fast charged particles that stream away from the Sun pose a significant threat to any long-duration mission, such as to the Moon or Mars.
But the research team says a spaceship equipped with a magnetic field generator could protect its occupants. Lab tests are reported in the journal Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion.


The approach mimics the protective field that envelops the Earth, known as the magnetosphere.
Astronauts' risk
Our star is a constant source of charged particles, and storms that arise on the Sun's surface result in huge numbers of these particles spilling into space.
As well as this plasma, or "solar wind", high velocity particles known as cosmic rays also flood through our galaxy. The Earth's magnetosphere deflects many of these particles that rain down on the planet, and our atmosphere absorbs most of the rest.

BBCNEWShttp://http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sc...re/7706844.stm

[MrQ1701]

Sounds like an early version of a deflector dish to me

[jerhanner]

That sounds feasible.

[jesustrek]

Originally Posted by MrQ1701

Sounds like an early version of a deflector dish to me

The influence Star Trek is possible, with the time.

[Big D]

Originally Posted by MrQ1701

Sounds like an early version of a deflector dish to me

Indeed, science-fiction can be pretty good at predicting what'll be needed in the future sometimes

[MonsieurHood]

I wonder if it would keep those pesky mini asteroids from making swiss cheese out of our Astronauts as well? Anyone see "Mission To Mars"? A tiny asteroid went straight through the ship and an Astronaut's hand as well. Patching a hull breach the size of a dime is one thing, but patching up an Astronaut with an asteroid hole through him is a bit more problematic.

[blzeeBOB]

Originally Posted by MonsieurHood

pesky mini asteroids

Originally Posted by MonsieurHood

A tiny asteroid

Originally Posted by MonsieurHood

an asteroid hole through him

If anyone had an asteroid hole thru him, I doubt there'd be anything left of the astronaut - other than some smearings of DNA on the surface of the thing.....

Originally Posted by HubbleSite - What is the difference between a meteor, a meteoroid, a meteorite, an asteroid and a comet?

The debris is called a meteoroid. A meteoroid is a piece of interplanetary matter that is smaller than a kilometer and frequently only millimeters in size. Most meteoroids that enter the Earth's atmosphere are so small that they vaporize completely and never reach the planet's surface.
If any part of a meteoroid survives the fall through the atmosphere and lands on Earth, it is called a meteorite. Although the vast majority of meteorites are very small, their size can range from about a fraction of a gram (the size of a pebble) to 100 kilograms (220 lbs) or more (the size of a huge, life-destroying boulder).
Asteroids are generally larger chunks of rock that come from the asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

[NCC-73515]

They even mentioned Star Trek (see http://www.startrekmovie.com/forums/...ead.php?t=3929)