Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) has to grow food on Mars, a planet where nothing grows, in "The Martian."
Paul Sutter is a research fellow at the Astronomical Observatory of Trieste and visiting scholar at the Ohio State University's Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics (CCAPP). Sutter is also host of the podcasts Ask a Spaceman and RealSpace, and the YouTube series Space In Your Face. He contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
Ah, Mars. The place that dreams are made of. As long as those dreams involve a poisonous, tenuous atmosphere, inhospitable cold and lots and lots of red. Still, people seem to want to go there. But will we ever make it?
"Yes," if you ask Elon Musk. I agree, but it probably won't be as easy as you might think, even if you think it's going to be really really hard.
What's the problem? Pick up the nearest object and throw it. I don't care if there are people around you. Do it. This is an experiment. This is science. Note how far the object goes before it hits the ground. Now pick it up and throw it harder. It went further, didn't it?
Part of the reason you didn't throw it as far as your ego thought you would was air resistance. Plowing through the atmosphere like a bull in a molecular china shop, the object quickly loses speed. But the actual "hitting the ground part is due to gravity. If you took away all the air, your thrown object would still eventually hit the ground.
In an airless world, no matter how hard you throw the object, it will reach the ground in the same amount of time. That's because gravity only works in the "down" direction, not the "over" direction, so for all gravity cares, you might as well have just lazily dropped it. But the harder you throw it, the more speed it will have, and the farther it will go before inevitably hitting the ground.
Or maybe not so inevitably. Imagine throwing something so hard that in the few seconds before it hits the ground, it reached the other side of a house. Or maybe a street. Throw it harder and you could get it across town. Across the country. Even faster: across an ocean.
Imagine throwing it so fast that by the time gravity gets around to doing its thing, the Earth has curved away from it. Gravity keeps on tugging at the object, but it frustratingly keeps missing the ground.
Ta-da: orbit!
How fast is orbital fast? Around 18,000 miles per hour (or 11 kilometers per second), give or take. There is, after all, an actual atmosphere to deal with.
You can certainly go slower and still visit space. Just make sure you packed a heat shield, because you're coming back down. You can also go even faster than orbital speed and escape the jealous clutches of Earth's gravity altogether, which is what it takes to get to Mars.
And that's the fundamental challenge. There just aren't many ways of pushing stuff that fast. Our best method so far involvesblowing up stuff in a tube, and making sure to leave a hole in one side. Newton's laws do the rest. It seems primitive, but the engineers tell me these "rockets" are actually quite complicated.
We can easily send robots to Mars, because their feelings don't get hurt if you forget to pack the oxygen and food. But people are a different well, animal, altogether. Humans are heavy. Humans need to carry little bubbles of the Earth ecosystem with them everywhere they go. Humans need room to stretch. Humans want to bring human-centric niceties, like hammers and toothpaste and lima beans.
Oh, yeah, and we need to bring them back home, I suppose. So pack the spare rockets and extra fuel.
Let this sink in: at the time of this writing, we don't have the capacity to send humans beyond Low Earth Orbit, the very edge of space, let alone Mars. Getting to Mars is hard, folks, and it requires a lot of new technology.
And that's just enough stuff for a handful of hominids to poke around the place for a bit. A colony? Look around the city you're in, and marvel at all the junk it takes to get you through the day. Think of all the layers of civilization and organization (spontaneous or otherwise) it takes to get you dinner. Made of food. Cooked. On a plate. That you will clean up with water eventually. In a house. On a street. And on and on.
A city is a massively complicated thing. Sure, we've built them from the ground up before, but colonies on Earth have a few advantages, namely, a) breathable air, b) liquid water, c) dirt and d) proximity to other Earth-based cities. Even the U.S. National Science Foundation's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station the closest to a Mars colony you can get while keeping two feet on the Earth enjoys most of these advantages, and is still a nightmare to keep alive.
And did I mention the cosmic rays? No? Well, now's a good time cosmic rays are high-energy protons (and some heavier nuclei) zipping through the universe, generated inwell, we're not exactly sure, but probably supernovae and other cataclysmic events. The universe is swimming in them, and they cut through DNA like a hot knife through butter. The butter is you in this metaphor, just to be clear. On Earth the atmosphere makes for nice insulation, catching most of the deadliest cosmic rays, but some still make it through, possibly giving everyone especially airline crews a slightly elevated risk of cancer. [Radiation Fears Shouldn't Hold Back Mars Colonization (Op-Ed )]
But a two-year journey to Mars? Exposure on the surface? Better make sure your transports and habitats are well-shielded or buried underground or at least make sure you have some talented oncologists on staff.
Despite these challenges and more, it's notimpossibleto get people to Mars and start a viable colony. It's not like there's any physics-based reason preventing the escapades. It's just a question of engineering. And money.
Lots and lots of money.
SpaceX has an ambitious plan to get a colony on Mars through private investment in ever-larger, cheap, reusable rockets that could deliver a steady stream of people and supplies to slowly build up a colony over decades. It just takes lots of money.
NASA has an ambitious plan to build the Space Launch System, the biggest, most hard-core rocket ever made. With that kind of fire, you could send all sorts of stuff into space, including a crew to Mars. It just takes lots of money.
There are other ideas, such as Mars One ("I know, just leave everybody there, then we don't have to pay for a return ticket!") and Mars Direct, but in the end it takes time. And lots of money.
So eventually, we'll do it. Humans will go to Mars . Babies will be born there. Civilization will flourish or flounder on the Red Planet. It's just a matter of when, and of how much money we're willing to spend. Did I mention the money part?
Sure, if one day everyone decided that we don't need socks anymore, we could use the leftover savings to fast-track a Martian colony. Full of chaffed feet, but a colony nonetheless. We're certainly at the civilizational stage where sending humans to Mars is feasible, which is a huge first step. A hundred years ago, not only did we lack the technology, but also the economic wherewithal to entertain such a wacky notion.
That's the trick to getting to Mars: either we need to be so wealthy as a society that a trip is so economically insignificant that nobody cares, or there needs to be a large political (if led by NASA) or economic (if led by a company) incentive to do it. One or both of those scenarios is bound to happen, sooner or later.
Hopefully sooner.
Learn more by listening to the episode "Will we colonize Mars?" on the Ask A Spaceman podcast, available on iTunes and on the Web athttp://www.askaspaceman.com. Thanks to Ann Fisher for the question that led to this episode! Ask your own question on Twitter using #AskASpaceman or by following Paul @PaulMattSutter and facebook.com/PaulMattSutter.
Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates and become part of the discussion on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
The rest is here:
Will We Ever Colonize Mars? - space.com
- The Case for Colonizing Mars, by Robert Zubrin - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Volunteers For Mars Colonization Wanted: Apply Today [VIDEO] - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Mars Colonization Mission Will Happen Live on Reality TV ... - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- NASA Wants to Send Plant Life to Mars in 2020 - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- Private Mars One Colony Project: 705 Astronaut Candidates Pass Latest Cut - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- Mars colonization a suicide mission, says Canadian astronaut - May 10th, 2014 [May 10th, 2014]
- Mars Colonization By: Alexis & Anna - Video - May 25th, 2014 [May 25th, 2014]
- One-Way Mars Colony Project Launches Suborbital Spaceflight Raffle - September 5th, 2014 [September 5th, 2014]
- Frankly, the Military Industrial Complex should become a Mars Colonization Project - Video - October 8th, 2014 [October 8th, 2014]
- MIT Students Bash Mars Colonization Plan - October 14th, 2014 [October 14th, 2014]
- Humans may only survive for 68 days on Red Planet - October 16th, 2014 [October 16th, 2014]
- Private Mars Colony Project May Not Be Feasible, Study Suggests - October 17th, 2014 [October 17th, 2014]
- How to get to Mars with tons of loads! - Video - November 7th, 2014 [November 7th, 2014]
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- Lets Play Sol 0 Blind 2 - Video - December 22nd, 2014 [December 22nd, 2014]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #001 - Auf geht's zum Mars - Video - December 22nd, 2014 [December 22nd, 2014]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 1 - The Beginning! - Video - December 23rd, 2014 [December 23rd, 2014]
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- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #002 - Wir bauen weiter - Video - December 26th, 2014 [December 26th, 2014]
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- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 5 - Asteroids! - Video - December 31st, 2014 [December 31st, 2014]
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- Lets Play Sol 0 Blind 6 - Video - January 2nd, 2015 [January 2nd, 2015]
- Fin! - Sol 0 #11 - Video - January 2nd, 2015 [January 2nd, 2015]
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- Lets Play Sol 0 Blind 5 - Video - January 5th, 2015 [January 5th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 7 - Repairs! - Video - January 5th, 2015 [January 5th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 6 - Colonists! - Video - January 5th, 2015 [January 5th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 8 - Food Crisis! - Video - January 9th, 2015 [January 9th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 9 - Nuclear Explosion! - Video - January 11th, 2015 [January 11th, 2015]
- Elon Musk talks Mars colonization, Kerbal Space Program - January 14th, 2015 [January 14th, 2015]
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- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #004 [Deutsch] - Auf der Suche nach Wasser - Video - January 14th, 2015 [January 14th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Part 10 - Finale! - Video - January 14th, 2015 [January 14th, 2015]
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- Lets Play Sol 0 Blind 7 - Video - January 20th, 2015 [January 20th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #003 [Deutsch] - Mehr Leben auf dem Mars - Video - January 20th, 2015 [January 20th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 3 - Brand New Start! - Video - January 25th, 2015 [January 25th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 4 - Brand New Start! - Video - January 26th, 2015 [January 26th, 2015]
- Or.. Not Endgame! - Sol 0 #10 - Video - January 26th, 2015 [January 26th, 2015]
- Elon Musk and the SpaceX Odyssey: the Path from Falcon 9 to Mars Colonization Transporter - January 29th, 2015 [January 29th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 5 - Brand New Start! - Video - January 29th, 2015 [January 29th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #006 [Deutsch] - Aufrsten? - Video - January 31st, 2015 [January 31st, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 7 - Brand New Start! - Video - February 1st, 2015 [February 1st, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 6 - Brand New Start! - Video - February 1st, 2015 [February 1st, 2015]
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- Deconstructing Consciousness,SpaceX Ritual=Mars Colonization, Microsofts HoloLens=Simulated Reality - Video - February 4th, 2015 [February 4th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 10 - Brand New Start! - Video - February 6th, 2015 [February 6th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 9 - Brand New Start! - Video - February 6th, 2015 [February 6th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 12 - Brand New Start! - Rockets! - Video - February 9th, 2015 [February 9th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 11 - Brand New Start! - Oxygen Problems! - Video - February 10th, 2015 [February 10th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 2 - Brand New Start! - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 14 - Brand New Start! - Independence! - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 13 - Brand New Start! - Colonists! - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #007 [Deutsch] - Wo landet das Wasser? - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Would you want to live on Mars? - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #008 [Deutsch] - Zuwachs - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- 100 people still in the running for a one-way trip to Mars - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Private Mars One Colony Project Cuts Applicant Pool to 100 ... - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 15 - Brand New Start! - We Explore our Independence! - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 - Part 16 - Brand New Start! - Population Growth! - Video - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Sol 0 - Mars Colonization - Season 2 Finale - Part 17 - Last Episode Forever - Video - February 21st, 2015 [February 21st, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #009 [Deutsch] - Die Katastrophe - Video - February 22nd, 2015 [February 22nd, 2015]
- Moss Beach man among 100 candidates selected for Mars colonization training - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #011 [Deutsch] - weiter geht's - Video - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
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- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #013 [Deutsch] - Das schwarze Loch - Video - March 8th, 2015 [March 8th, 2015]
- Mars Colonization(Sol 0) #1 - Video - March 8th, 2015 [March 8th, 2015]
- Private Mars One colony project cuts applicant pool to 100 volunteers - March 9th, 2015 [March 9th, 2015]
- Let's Play Sol 0-Mars Colonization #014 [Deutsch] - Mehr Bewohner - Video - March 14th, 2015 [March 14th, 2015]
- Mars Command to Mother Earth - Video - March 18th, 2015 [March 18th, 2015]
- Cities Skylines mods - Mars colonization - Video - March 20th, 2015 [March 20th, 2015]
- Sol 0. 03 - Video - March 22nd, 2015 [March 22nd, 2015]