“To remain within the career radiation limits, mission planners should carefully target specific transfer trajectories and launch windows,” says Robert Wimmer‐Schweingruber, co-author from the University of Kiel, Germany.

Protecting astronauts as they venture deeper into space is a critical priority for ESA. “This study helps us convert solar cycle variations into clear targets for mission trajectories and risk reduction. We can quantify how much we can gain from targeting a certain launch window and faster trajectories, and when we still need better shielding and operational concepts to make Mars missions genuinely safer,” says Anna Fogtman, ESA’s radiation protection lead.