Dealing with Radiation

Radiation is a constant problem for any space travel, even when not leaving Earth orbit. Brief and acute exposures are generally ignored, as that the symptoms often take years to develop and even then are relatively easy to treat, but long-term space residents have extended chronic exposures, which are much more difficult to deal with.

Dealing with Gamma Rays
Gamma rays are the most difficult radiation source to deal with because they are very high energy, cannot be deflected, and penetrate shields easily. Fortunately, though, gamma rays are rare in nature. The only significant sources of gamma rays are artificial, such as nuclear reactors or Induced Fusion Drives. Stationary reactors cope with radiation by separating reactors from living spaces and placing shielding--such as the water supply--between the crew and the reactors. Drive reactors often use similar designs, although add a "radiation shadow" to the design, where the manner and direction of the reaction makes it unlikely rays will go directly against the drive direction into the crew compartment.

Dealing with Cosmic Rays
Cosmic rays are the natural radiation found throughout the solar system. They are difficult to stop, but not as difficult as Gamma rays; Cosmic rays are charged particles traveling at close to the speed of light, so ships and stations can apply superconducting magnets to their surfaces or antenae beyond their surfaces to deflect cosmic rays away from the crew. Smaller ships feature magnetic deflectors intended to create a bubble without cosmic ray penetration, but larger ships must deflect the particles into set "rad-sinks."