The radiation exposure due to galactic cosmic rays has been rising since early 2015 and is
reaching some of the highest levels observed in the space age. This observation is not limited
to the near-Earth space environment, but is also seen at Mars in measurements performed by
the highly capable Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on NASA’s Curiosity rover. We will
discuss the increased radiation exposure at Mars and elsewhere, put into the larger heliospheric
context and discuss implications for human exploration
