14. Water and Regolith as Radiation Shields
To combat radiation, habitat designers are exploring the use of local Martian resources as protective barriers. Thick walls of regolith (Martian soil) or tanks of water can drastically reduce radiation exposure inside habitats. NASA habitat concepts highlight how these materials—abundant on Mars—can be key to building safe, sustainable shelters for future explorers without the need to transport heavy shielding from Earth.