NASA desires to ship people to Mars within the 2030s

by Joel S. Levine | Professor – William and Mary

Williamsburg VA (SPX) Oct 08, 2024

NASA plans to ship people on a scientific spherical journey to Mars doubtlessly as early as 2035. The journey will take about six to seven months every manner and can cowl as much as 250 million miles (402 million kilometers) every manner. The astronauts could spend as many as 500 days on the planet’s floor earlier than returning to Earth.

NASA’s Artemis program plans to return people to the Moon this decade to observe and put together for a Mars mission as early because the 2030s. Whereas NASA has a number of causes for pursuing such an bold mission, the largest is scientific exploration and discovery.

I am an atmospheric scientist and former NASA researcher concerned in establishing the scientific questions a Mars mission would examine. There are many mysteries to analyze on the crimson planet, together with why Mars seems to be the best way it does at this time, and whether or not it has ever hosted life, previous or current.

Mars geology

Mars is an intriguing planet from a geological and atmospheric perspective. It fashioned with the remainder of the photo voltaic system about 4.6 billion years in the past. Round 3.8 billion years in the past, the identical time that life fashioned on Earth, early Mars was very Earth-like. It had plentiful liquid water on its floor within the type of oceans, lakes and rivers and possessed a denser ambiance.

Whereas Mars’ floor is completely devoid of liquid water at this time, scientists have noticed proof of these previous lakes, rivers and even an ocean shoreline on its floor. Its north and south poles are coated in frozen water, with a skinny veneer of frozen carbon dioxide. On the south pole in the course of the summer season, the carbon dioxide veneer disappears, leaving the frozen water uncovered.

In the present day, Mars’ ambiance may be very skinny and about 95% carbon dioxide. It is crammed with atmospheric mud from the floor, which provides the ambiance of Mars its attribute reddish shade.

Scientists know fairly a bit concerning the planet’s floor from sending robotic missions, however there are nonetheless many fascinating geologic options to analyze extra intently. These options might inform researchers extra concerning the photo voltaic system’s formation.

The northern and southern hemispheres of Mars look very completely different. About one-third of the floor of Mars – largely in its northern hemisphere – is 2 to 4 miles (3.2-6.4 kilometers) decrease in elevation, referred to as the northern lowlands. The northern lowlands have a number of giant craters however are comparatively clean. The southern two-thirds of the planet, referred to as the southern highlands, has plenty of very previous craters.

Mars additionally has the biggest volcanoes that scientists have noticed within the photo voltaic system. Its floor is peppered with deep craters from asteroid and meteor impacts that occurred in the course of the early historical past of Mars. Sending astronauts to review these options may also help researchers perceive how and when main occasions occurred in the course of the early historical past of Mars.

Asking the proper questions

NASA fashioned a panel referred to as the Human Exploration of Mars Science Evaluation Group to plan the longer term mission. I co-chaired the panel, with NASA scientist James B. Garvin, to develop and assess the important thing scientific questions on Mars. We needed to determine which analysis questions required a human mission to deal with, quite than cheaper robotic missions.

The panel got here up with suggestions for a number of essential scientific questions for human investigation on Mars.

One query asks whether or not there’s life on the planet at this time. Bear in mind, life on Earth fashioned about 3.8 billion years in the past, when Earth and Mars have been similar-looking planets that each had plentiful liquid water and Mars had a denser ambiance.

One other query asks what kind of environmental modifications led Mars to lose the widespread, plentiful liquid water on its floor, in addition to a few of its ambiance.

These questions, alongside different suggestions from the panel, made it into NASA’s architectural plan for sending people to Mars.

How do you get to Mars?

To ship folks to Mars and return them safely to Earth, NASA has developed a brand new, very highly effective launch car referred to as the Area Launch System and a brand new human service spacecraft referred to as Orion.

To organize and prepare astronauts for residing on and exploring Mars, NASA established a brand new program to return people to the Moon, referred to as the Artemis program.

In mythology, Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister. The Artemis astronauts will dwell and work on the Moon for months at a time to organize for residing and dealing on Mars.

The Area Launch System and Orion efficiently launched on Nov. 16, 2022, as a part of the Artemis I mission. It made the Artemis program’s first uncrewed flight to the Moon, and as soon as there, Orion orbited the Moon for six days, getting as shut as 80 miles (129 kilometers) above the floor.

Artemis I splashed again all the way down to Earth on Dec. 11, 2022, after its 1.4 million-mile (2.2 million-kilometer) maiden journey.

Artemis III, the primary mission to return people to the lunar floor, is scheduled for 2026. The Artemis astronauts will land on the Moon’s south pole, the place scientists imagine there could also be giant deposits of subsurface water within the type of ice that astronauts might mine, soften, purify and drink. The Artemis astronauts will arrange habitats on the floor of the Moon and spend a number of months exploring the lunar floor.

For the reason that Moon is a mere 240,000 miles (386,000 km) from Earth, it would act as a coaching floor for the longer term human exploration of Mars. Whereas a Mars mission continues to be a few years out, the Artemis program will assist NASA develop the capabilities it must discover the crimson planet.

Associated Hyperlinks

Utilized Science – William and Mary

Mars Information and Info at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Desires and extra