As we’ve explored Mars, we’ve learned that space exploration is extremely challenging. But, it’s also helped us to develop new technologies that will make life on Mars a reality in 2030.
Since 1996, exploration of Mars has had a revival, where data from four orbiters and four landed missions is helping to build a new view of the planet. A fleet of rovers and robotic spacecraft are on and around the Red Planet providing tons of data. These rovers record radiation on the way to Mars and send that data back which is aiding scientists to plan on how to protect astronauts who will be conducting future explorations on the planet.
2030 – Start of Manned Missions to Mars:
Taking a big step ahead, the US government has begun working on plans to send people to Mars by the year 2030. Recently, Elon Musk, CEO SpaceX and co-founder Tesla Motors Corp. (TSLA) brought forward his vision to develop a self-sustaining city on Mars, by unveiling company’s Interplanetary Transport System (ITS). The system combines most powerful rocket ever built with a spaceship, which has been designed to carry a minimum of 100 people per flight to the planet.
Following this, in an op-ed on CNN, US President Barack Obama also mentioned similar ambitions for future space exploration. The president stated that the government had set clear goals of sending humans to Mars by the year 2030 with an ultimate ambition of an extended stay. He also discussed the government and commercial partnerships in this regard to building habitats which can transport and sustain astronauts in deep space on longer missions.
NASA’s Plan for Mars:
NASA has outlined two main initiatives to build on President Obama’s vision. The first initiative is the ‘Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships’ (NextSTEP) program, which would lay a foundation for Mars exploration by building partnerships with private companies to design space habitats. It focuses on supporting extensive human space flight missions in the Proving Ground around and above cislunar space. NASA has taken on board six private companies for the development of deep space habitats.
The second initiative NASA is taking to colonize Mars by 2030 involves bringing innovations and adding new modules to the International Space Station, e.g.; NASA is working in collaboration with private agencies to devise ways to dock at and utilize the orbiting laboratory.
The US government and NASA authorities are hopeful that with these milestones set to be achieved in the foreseeable future, a whole new arena of space exploration would open up to the world of science. And if scientists are able to get all this in place, we might be setting foot and starting a colony at the Red Planet sooner than we think we can.
References:
- http://www.investopedia.com/news/musk-lays-out-vision-travel-mars-tsla-amzn/?ad=dirN&qo=investopediaSiteSearch&qsrc=0&o=40186
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-27/elon-musk-s-vision-for-mars-travel-focuses-on-reusable-rockkets
- http://www.space.com/34210-elon-musk-unveils-spacex-mars-colony-ship.html
- http://www.space.com/34351-obama-says-america-will-send-people-to-mars.html
- https://www.nasa.gov/nextstep
- http://www.space.com/34357-private-deep-space-habitat-concepts-for-nasa.html
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3832913/America-Mars-2030s-President-Obama-lays-plan-red-planet-says-ultimate-ambition-long-term-colony.html
