We all know Elon Musk's dream to send 100,000 people to Mars with 1,000 spaceships, but how close are we to making that dream a reality?
With Mars being the only planet (besides Earth) that could potentially support life, various countries are working hard on human Mars missions.
This has created quite the "Mars fever", especially after three different spacecraft successfully landed on the Red Planet this year. But what exactly stands in the way of humans landing on Mars? Let's break down the major challenges we must overcome.
Long Distance: Earth to Mars
The distance between Earth and Mars is vast, with the two planets coming closest every 26 months, when Mars and Earth align. At their closest, they're 55 million kilometers apart, and at their farthest, 400 million kilometers.
A one-way trip to Mars takes at least 6 months. Considering astronauts will need to work on Mars for nearly 500 days, the round trip could last up to 900 days. That's almost three years! With no chance of resupply during the journey, this means astronauts will need to carry a massive amount of supplies and energy.
Massive Payloads: The Need for More Rockets
To survive on Mars, astronauts will need to bring at least 40 tons of supplies. Add to this the spacecraft, the habitats, and the landing and take-off equipment for Mars, and the total mission weight could reach around 1,000 tons. This is far beyond the current capacity of rockets to launch all at once.
So, we would need to send these components in batches to Earth's orbit, where they could be assembled before heading to Mars. This process presents numerous technical difficulties, such as designing the mission overall, optimizing orbits, managing cryogenic propellant storage, and conducting on-orbit assembly.
Living in Space: How Do Astronauts Stay Healthy?
During the long voyage, astronauts will live in a weightless, radiation-heavy environment. To make this journey feasible, we'll need advanced technology for long-term food storage, radiation protection, and medical support. Additionally, astronauts will need a way to manage their physical and mental health in the confined space of a spacecraft, ensuring they stay fit and sane during the long journey.
Communication Delays: A New Challenge for Earth-Mars Interaction
One of the major hurdles of Mars exploration is communication. The distance between Earth and Mars means that there will be communication delays of up to 44 minutes in both directions. This makes real-time communication with astronauts nearly impossible. To address this, we would need a new communication network to ensure astronauts on Mars can maintain constant contact with Earth.
Landing on Mars: The Thin Martian Atmosphere
Mars presents another challenge when it comes to landing. Its atmosphere is so thin that traditional landing techniques like parachutes won't work effectively. Instead, we'll need to use innovative systems like retro-rockets for landing. Additionally, due to the communication delay, the mission will need to be entirely autonomous. This means our landing technologies must be highly reliable and capable of acting without Earth-based assistance.
The Mars Exploration Framework
To complete the mission, a comprehensive Mars exploration system will be needed, made up of several components:
1. Unmanned Exploration System: Including Mars orbiters, landers, and rovers that will scout Mars, gather environmental data, and test technologies.
2. Space Transportation System: This includes various vehicles such as launch rockets, transfer stages, and landing/ascent systems, as well as Martian ground facilities.
3. Mars Surface Application Systems: This includes living modules, science labs, rovers, and extravehicular activity (EVA) systems, all designed to support life and research on the Martian surface.
The Stages of Mars Exploration
The entire journey to Mars can be divided into multiple stages:
• Stage 1: Transporting Goods – Initially, payloads like fuel and Mars surface facilities will be sent into Earth's orbit and assembled there.
• Stage 2: Transporting Humans – After preparing the Martian base, humans will be sent aboard a spacecraft to Mars, where they'll dock with the Mars transfer stage before landing.
• Stage 3: Mars Surface Operations – Upon landing, astronauts will perform research and exploration activities.
• Stage 4: Return to Earth – After completing their mission on Mars, astronauts will return to the transfer stage, which will take them back to Earth.
What's Next for Mars Exploration?
While the technology needed for a crewed Mars mission is already in development, the road ahead is still long. The mission will require substantial funding and breakthrough innovations in propulsion, life support systems, and radiation shielding. Innovations like nuclear thermal propulsion may shorten the journey, but as of now, we still need significant advancements.
As space technology continues to evolve, it's only a matter of time before we make history and set foot on Mars. The day humanity becomes an interplanetary species is within our reach, and it's an exciting time for space enthusiasts!
Are you ready to be part of this interplanetary adventure, Lykkers?
