Setting Foot On Mars
By: Muhammad Saad
In the movie "The Martian", we see a fictional depiction of the first manned mission to Mars. While this may still be a distant dream, the film serves as a reminder of the incredible progress we have made in sending spacecraft and rovers to explore the Red Planet. In this blog, we will take a closer look at the real-life rovers and spacecraft sent to Mars and the exciting projects currently in development. From the Viking missions in the 1970s to the Mars 2020 mission, we have come a long way in our quest to understand the mysteries of the Red Planet.
The Early Missions
In the early days of space exploration, a number of missions were sent to Mars to explore the planet and gather data about its surface and atmosphere. These missions typically involved sending spacecraft to Mars equipped with a variety of instruments and sensors, such as cameras, spectrometers, and weather sensors, to gather as much information as possible about the planet.
One of the earliest missions to Mars was the Viking program launched in 1975, which consisted of two spacecraft, Viking 1 and Viking 2. Each spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and a lander, which were designed to study the Martian surface and atmosphere in detail. The Viking landers were the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and were able to conduct a number of experiments, including taking images of the Martian surface and analyzing the composition of the planet's soil.
In the decades that followed, Mars missions became more frequent. One such mission was the Pathfinder, which launched the Sojourner rover to Mars in 1997. The Sojourner rover was the first wheeled vehicle to operate on the Martian surface and was designed to explore the planet and gather data about its geology, atmosphere, and potential habitability.
The Sojourner rover was equipped with a variety of instruments, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a weather sensor, as well as a robotic arm that allowed it to collect samples of Martian soil and rocks for further study. The rover was able to operate on the Martian surface for a period of 83 sols (Martian days), during which time it covered a distance of over 100 meters and gathered a wealth of data about the planet.
And you may not believe it, but it was this rover and its camera system that enabled Mark Watney to establish initial communications with NASA since he got stranded.
Curiosity and Perseverance
As of today, a number of missions have been sent to Mars to continue exploring the planet and to gather data about its surface and atmosphere. These missions have been incredibly successful in advancing our understanding of Mars and paving the way for future exploration of the planet.
One of the most notable recent missions to Mars is the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, which launched the Curiosity rover to Mars in 2011. The rover was designed to operate on the Martian surface for an extended period of time, allowing it to cover large distances and gather a wealth of data about the planet.
Curiosity was equipped with a variety of instruments, including a high-resolution camera, a spectrometer, and a weather station, as well as a rock-drilling tool for collecting samples of Martian rocks and soil for further study. The rover was also equipped with a robotic arm that allowed for conducting experiments on the Martian surface.
Another recent mission to Mars is the Mars 2020 mission, which launched the Perseverance rover to the planet in July 2020. Perseverance was designed to search for signs of ancient life on Mars and was equipped with a number of instruments and sensors for gathering data about the planet's geology and atmosphere.
Perseverance was also equipped with a number of innovative technologies, such as a drill for collecting core samples of Martian rock, and a small helicopter named Ingenuity for conducting the first-ever powered flight on another planet. Overall, the recent missions to Mars, such as Curiosity and Perseverance, have been incredibly successful in advancing our understanding of the planet and paving the way for future exploration.
The Future?
NASA and SpaceX are currently working on a number of programs and projects aimed at landing the first human on Mars. One of the key programs that NASA is working on is the Artemis program, which is a long-term effort to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and eventually on Mars. As part of this program, NASA is developing the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, which will be used to send astronauts to the Moon and potentially to Mars in the future.
In addition to the Artemis program, NASA is also working on a number of other projects and technologies that will be essential for landing the first human on Mars. These include the development of advanced space suit technologies, life support systems, and propulsion systems that will be needed to support a human mission to Mars. NASA is also working on developing new technologies for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), which will allow astronauts to extract and use resources found on Mars, such as water and carbon dioxide, to support their missions.
SpaceX, on the other hand, is currently focused on developing its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket, which will be used to send humans to Mars and other destinations in the solar system. The company has already conducted several successful test flights of its Starship spacecraft, and it plans to use this technology to support NASA's Artemis program and eventually send its own astronauts to Mars.
A Reality Check
In conclusion, while it is certainly possible that we will develop the technology to land humans on Mars, it is not a foregone conclusion. There are many challenges and obstacles that must be overcome in order to make this a reality, including the development of advanced technology, the availability of sufficient resources, and the willingness to invest the necessary time and money into the project. Additionally, there are many ethical and logistical considerations that must be taken into account when considering a human mission to Mars. While the potential rewards of such a mission are significant, it is important to approach the idea with caution and to carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits before moving forward. Only time will tell if we are able to overcome these challenges and successfully land humans on the red planet.
References
Spectrometer - Encyclopedia Britannica
How long is a day on Mars? - Royal Museums Greenwich
Sojourner & "Yogi" - NASA's Mars Exploration Program
In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) - NASA
Viking 1 - Mars Missions - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Pathfinder - Mars Missions - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover - Mars Missions
Mars 2020 - Jet Propulsion Laboratory - NASA
Mars Helicopter - NASA's Mars Exploration Program
Palmer, Chris. “SpaceX Starship Lands on Earth, but Manned Missions to Mars Will Require More.” Engineering, vol. 7, no. 10, Elsevier BV, Oct. 2021, pp. 1345–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2021.08.005.
Zubrin, Robert. “THE MARS DIRECT PLAN.” Scientific American, vol. 282, no. 3, 2000, pp. 52–55. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26058636.
Niles, P. Scientific Investigations Associated With the Human Exploration of Mars in the Next 35 Years - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS). 27 Feb. 2017, ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20170001751.
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