After MOXIE successfully completed its mission of producing oxygen on Mars, NASA is now advancing to the next phase. Following MOXIE’s successful oxygen generation mission on Mars, NASA is gearing up for the next step in preparation for sending astronauts to Mars in the 2030s.
A Ray of Hope
When the Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February 2021, it was not alone. In addition to the Ingenuity helicopter, the rover also carried a suite of scientific instruments designed to search for signs of ancient life.
Attached to the rover’s chassis is MOXIE, a device capable of generating oxygen directly from Mars’ carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This experiment has exceeded NASA’s expectations, proving that oxygen for life support systems and rocket fuel can be produced on Mars, eliminating the need for transport from Earth. MOXIE has become a valuable tool for future human exploration of Mars. However, astronauts will require additional support before this method can be applied.
After MOXIE’s exceptional success in creating oxygen on Mars, NASA spent a year in a simulated Martian environment in Texas to prepare for the mission of sending the first astronauts to Mars in the 2030s. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing for its first interplanetary journey from Earth to Mars, also later in this decade.
Nevertheless, before establishing a human presence on Mars, we need to understand the planet’s terrain and weather conditions. Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) are bringing the dream of living on Mars closer with the Mars Atlas tool. This Mars map, created by NYUAD researchers using color images of the entire planet taken by the Hope spacecraft, offers a beautiful mosaic of the Red Planet.
Dimitra Atri, the head of the Mars Research Group, stated that after combining more than 3,000 high-resolution images collected by the UAE’s Hope spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars since 2021, the team has created “a stunning color mosaic of the entire Red Planet.”
Additionally, Mars has an extremely thin atmosphere with over 95% CO2, making it challenging for spacecraft to decelerate during entry. Understanding Mars’ daily and seasonal weather patterns can help researchers pinpoint the safest landing times and locations.
Mars Atlas can be used to identify weather patterns, resources, and safe landing sites for future explorers. Dimitra Atri, the head of the Mars Research Group, says, “It may sound far-fetched, but perhaps in the future, humans living on Mars will be very common.”
The prospect of humans traveling to Mars and living there is predicted to become common in the future.
According to Serkan Saydam, the Deputy Director of the Australian Space Research Institute, Professor at the University of New South Wales, human colonization of Mars may be feasible within a few decades. “I believe that by 2050, we will have a human settlement on Mars,” he stated.
Saydam emphasizes that the key to establishing a Martian colony is water. Water can be extracted from ice and hydrated minerals on Mars, which will support agriculture on the planet. Additionally, hydrogen from ice and minerals can be used as an energy source for rockets.
However, some scientists are less optimistic. Some NASA psychologists who have worked with astronauts express skepticism about the feasibility of building a human habitat on Mars. Despite being the most practical choice for human colonization outside of Earth, the conditions on Mars are not suitable for human habitation.
Mars’ atmosphere consists of over 95% CO2, and the average temperature is -80°F (-60°C). There are likely more suitable “homes” on exoplanets beyond the Solar System, though these potential areas are much farther from Earth.
Frederic Marin, a black hole astrophysicist at the Strasbourg Observatory of the University of Strasbourg, suggests that, with current technology, it may take tens of thousands of years to reach the nearest exoplanet. However, he believes that travel time will significantly decrease in the near future due to faster spacecraft.
Marin has proposed a hypothetical scenario for approaching a human-friendly exoplanet within 500 years. His simulations suggest that a population of around 500 people is an appropriate starting point for a multi-generational colony.
Nevertheless, many challenges remain, such as how children born during interstellar journeys would adapt to life between stars and various ethical considerations.
Source: CNN; Live Science