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From Engadget:
Dennis Tito is planning an ambitious private flyby of Mars
for 2018 that will carry all kinds of logistical challenges during its
proposed 501-day span, not the least of which is shielding the crew from
radiation without consuming valuable resources. The team's solution is a
clever one, if not especially pretty: human waste. While the walls of
the Inspiration Mars spacecraft will initially be lined with
water-filled bags to guard against cosmic rays, their contents will be
gradually replaced with er, byproduct that will be dehydrated through
the bag (possibly using polyethylene)
to reclaim and purify water for drinking. As water-based materials are
better at stopping radiation than metal, the approach theoretically
represents the best of all worlds with less bulk, a simpler life support
system and maximum room for supplies. If the Inspiration Mars group can
keep the bags working at high efficiency in space, it won't have to
worry about its travelers' safety; their comfort with being surrounded
by their own waste may be another matter.
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