NASA plans to ship people on a scientific spherical journey to Mars probably as early as 2035. The journey will take about six to seven months every approach and can cowl as much as 250 million miles (402 million kilometers) every approach. The astronauts might 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 formidable mission, the largest is scientific exploration and discovery.
I’m 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 purple planet, together with why Mars seems to be the best way it does right this moment, 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 shaped 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 similar time that life shaped on Earth, early Mars was very Earth-like. It had ample liquid water on its floor within the type of oceans, lakes and rivers and possessed a denser environment.
Whereas Mars’ floor is completely devoid of liquid water right this moment, 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 throughout the summer season, the carbon dioxide veneer disappears, leaving the frozen water uncovered.
In the present day, Mars’ environment could be very skinny and about 95% carbon dioxide. It’s crammed with atmospheric mud from the floor, which provides the environment of Mars its attribute reddish coloration.
Scientists know fairly a bit concerning the planet’s floor from sending robotic missions, however there are nonetheless many attention-grabbing geologic options to analyze extra carefully. These options may 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 just a few giant craters however are comparatively clean. The southern two-thirds of the planet, referred to as the southern highlands, has plenty of very outdated craters.
Mars additionally has the largest volcanoes that scientists have noticed within the photo voltaic system. Its floor is peppered with deep craters from asteroid and meteor impacts that occurred throughout the early historical past of Mars. Sending astronauts to check these options will help researchers perceive how and when main occasions occurred throughout the early historical past of Mars.
Asking the correct questions
NASA shaped a panel referred to as the Human Exploration of Mars Science Evaluation Group to plan the long run mission. I co-chaired the panel, with NASA scientist James B. Garvin, to develop and assess the key scientific questions on Mars. We wished 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 necessary scientific questions for human investigation on Mars.
One query asks whether or not there’s life on the planet right this moment. Keep in mind, life on Earth shaped about 3.8 billion years in the past, when Earth and Mars have been similar-looking planets that each had ample liquid water and Mars had a denser environment.
One other query asks what kind of environmental adjustments led Mars to lose the widespread, plentiful liquid water on its floor, in addition to a few of its environment.
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 automobile referred to as the House Launch System and a brand new human provider spacecraft referred to as Orion.
To arrange and practice 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 reside and work on the Moon for months at a time to arrange for residing and dealing on Mars.
The House 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 right 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 consider there could also be giant deposits of subsurface water within the type of ice that astronauts may 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.
Because the Moon is a mere 240,000 miles (386,000 km) from Earth, it can act as a coaching floor for the long run human exploration of Mars. Whereas a Mars mission remains to be a few years out, the Artemis program will assist NASA develop the capabilities it must discover the purple planet.
