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The research aims to develop a multi-layer shelter to protect against various forms of radiation on Mars.

February 2, 2026Open Access

MARS: Multi-layer Anti-Radiation Shelter Concept

Key Points

The research aims to develop a multi-layer shelter to protect against various forms of radiation on Mars.
Integrated boron-rich, hydrogen-rich, and high-Z materials into a multi-layer design.
Conducted Monte Carlo transport simulations to evaluate radiation dose reduction.
Identified materials that can be sourced or synthesized in situ.
Achieved over 95% dose reduction during peak solar particle events.
Demonstrated scalable protection adaptable for long-term Martian missions.
Highlighted the integration of shelter designs with life-support systems.

Abstract

Human survival on Mars depends on effective shielding from cosmic rays, solar particle events, and secondary radiation generated by the thin atmosphere and absent magnetosphere. The MARS (Multi-layer Anti-Radiation Shelter) concept integrates boron-rich, hydrogen-rich, and high-Z materials into a multilayer architectural system that captures neutrons, moderates secondary cascades, and attenuates gamma rays. These layers can be sourced or synthesized in situ, reducing launch mass while coupling naturally with life-support infrastructure. Monte Carlo transport simulations indicate over 95% dose reduction during peak solar particle events, with scalable protection adaptable to long-term missions. MARS thus emerges not merely as a structural design but as a framework of continuity—where safety, constructability, and sustainability converge, and architecture itself begins to act as the organ of life. Keywords: Mars habitat; radiation shielding; in-situ resource utilization (ISRU); Monte Carlo simulations; sustainable ecosystems

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