Kerbal Radiation?

[BagelRabbit]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, as I am new to this forum, but --

I would love it if devs added a certain amount of Kerbal-harmful radiation into the game.

The radiation would increase as Kerbals passed out of planetary atmospheres or planetary magnetic fields. Radiation would also be greater near Kerbol. Thus, Kerbals would be shielded more from radiation on, say, the surface of Laythe than on Moho.

RTGs and nuclear rocket engines would also increase the amount of radiation that Kerbals experienced.

Certain parts, such as structural panels, could reduce the quantity of radiation that Kerbals receive. Each cockpit could also reduce Kerbals' radiation doses by a certain amount. On EVA, however, Kerbals would receive high doses of radiation. (A few parts could also be created with the specific purpose of reducing radiation exposure.)

After exceeding the maximum amount of radiation, a Kerbal could pop or become otherwise incapable of piloting the craft.

Radiation would cumulatively build up in Kerbals as missions passed, and thus, a Kerbal could not partake in too many missions. After a certain time, he would have to be grounded.

Radiation could be measured by an additional scientific instrument, basically a glorified Geiger counter, for moderate amounts of scientific information.

By the way, is there a mod for this? (I don't think any of the life-support mods include radiation.)

[LostElement]

Interstellar does to a degree but it only shows the radiation level. It doesn't do anything else

[coolitic]

Maybe. However, RTG's are perfectly shielded from radiation in real life so that would be unrealistic. Maybe have radiation on only some planets/parts of planets?

[BagelRabbit]

Coolitic, you're right. I looked up RTGs and they're pretty harmless. I still think that nuclear engines should increase radiation levels though.

I would agree that you should have different amounts of radiation on different parts of planets. For example, you would receive more radiation near the poles and, say, in some crater basins.

This is shaping up to be an interesting idea.