Part 5/10:
Musk has also downplayed the dangers posed by cosmic radiation during the journey to Mars and while residing on the surface. Current scientific understanding indicates that radiation exposure could lead to serious health issues, including cancer and neurological damage. While water can provide effective shield against radiation, its weight poses a logistical nightmare for transportation on spacecraft.
For Martian habitation, creating an artificial atmosphere could theoretically mitigate radiation risks. However, these solutions—whether through building protective structures or generating magnetic fields—present technical and financial challenges that remain under-discussed by Musk.