Why is the time window for external operations severely limited for human teams on Europa compared to Mars missions?
Answer
A few hours of surface exposure could result in a lethal dose of radiation on Europa
The lethal radiation environment on Europa dictates extremely narrow operational windows for human teams, even when equipped with heavily shielded suits. Unlike Mars, where the radiation environment is comparatively much less severe, exposure on Europa can lead to a lethal radiation dose within just a few hours. This stark difference means that the continuous nature of the radiation hazard drastically restricts any potential extravehicular activity time.
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