Unraveling the Complexities: Why a Manned Mars Mission Remains a Herculean Task - Explained by a NASA Scientist
Mars stands as a perfect inspiration for crafting narratives in the realm of science fiction. This planet has been thoroughly studied and holds a sense of familiarity, yet it exudes a distinct and distant quality that encourages the development of imaginative and exceptional scenarios.
The world of cinema, especially Hollywood, has given rise to a multitude of science fiction movies focused on human journeys to Mars. Among these, "The Martian" shines as a prominent instance, aiming to shed light on the difficulties that humanity could face when undertaking exploratory expeditions to the red planet. However, the movie unfortunately overlooks a crucial concern that astronauts would encounter: space radiation, a significant and challenging obstacle.
The recent successes, such as the flawless moon landing of Chandrayaan-3, have fueled a wave of enthusiasm surrounding India's upcoming space missions. A primary aspiration among these goals is the endeavor to send a crewed mission to Mars.
India launched its independent mission to explore Mars with the commencement of the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013. Around the same time, NASA initiated its own Mars Exploration Program, which involved sending the Perseverance rover, the impressive tiny robot Ingenuity, and the necessary delivery systems. While multiple nations, including India, are involved in different projects connected to the Martian realm, the significant accomplishment of sending a human to Mars is yet to be achieved.
Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of SpaceX, confidently declares his ambitious goal of transporting a remarkable one million people to Mars by 2050. Nevertheless, a more somber viewpoint is presented by Dr. Michelle Thaller , a NASA scientist , who elaborates on the current technological limitations that make ensuring the safety of astronauts during their journey to Mars an extremely daunting task. The dangers arise from the hazardous radiation emitted during solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME), which have the potential to be fatal to humans long before they even reach their destination in interplanetary space.
Common radiation fills the vastness of space, yet Earth's safeguarding ozone layer effectively soaks up this energy. However, the situation becomes notably more critical when the Sun ejects a burst of solar flares or propels a coronal mass ejection across space.
New scientific findings have identified a connection between the dissipating clouds of Neptune and increased solar activity. Dr. Thaller emphasizes that if the Sun's reach can extend to Neptune, which is the farthest celestial object in our solar system, then its impacts can undoubtedly also affect spacecraft traveling through the region between Earth and Mars. Such exposure to solar radiation can trigger radiation poisoning, various types of cancer, degenerative illnesses, genetic disorders, and even mortality.
NASA astronaut Stan Love straightforwardly states that the goal of establishing a human colony on Mars by 2050 remains unrealistic until revolutionary technologies emerge, capable of protecting us from the dangers of lethal radiation.