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Compared to existing shields, rust gives much better protection per unit weight. //
Protecting astronauts from cosmic rays is one of the great challenges that needs to be solved before space agencies can send a crewed mission to Mars or beyond — that much exposure is simply too dangerous given current shielding technology.
But oxidized metal, especially gadolinium (III) oxide, blocks more radiation by weight than anything else out there, according to research published last month in the journal Radiation Physics and Chemistry. The study, a joint effort of Lockheed Martin and North Carolina State University, could give engineers a new tool for keeping crewmembers safe during long forays into space.