Getting a man to Mars is not an easy mission. An interplanetary flight will take more than nine months, and a sophisticated spacecraft will be required to disembark people and return them back to Earth.
The day when a man's foot sets foot on the surface of the Red Planet will one day come. And preparations for this event are in full swing. Aerospace concern Boeing has published a video demonstrating the steps to take to get a man to Mars.
Two of the six items required to complete the Martian journey are already in progress - the Nasa SLS launch vehicle and the Orion spacecraft. However, this is not enough to achieve this goal.
The age of the first person to set foot on the Martian surface is now 10-20 years. It’s interesting how this man’s life will change after the start of this big mission,”says Michael Raftery, Program Manager for Space Exploration Systems at Boeing.
Puzzle
Boeing is actively involved in the preparation of the mission to Mars, being the general contractor for the construction of the heavy-class SLS transport rocket. But the SLS is just one of six pieces of the puzzle, including the recently tested Orion.
Promotional video:
Rafteri spoke about what needs to be done in the next 20 years to help NASA's plans come true. The agency plans to deliver humans to Mars in the mid-2030s.
So, to take off from Earth and return to your home planet, you will need SLS and Orion. A flight to Mars will require several rocket launches. Then, according to the scientist, a huge ship will take the baton to tow the Orion and the necessary equipment through deep space. The tug will have to be powered by huge solar panels and is likely to be powered by a solar electric rocket engine or ion plant.
Spaceship
A capsule will be attached to the tug, in which the crew will live. It is possible that artificial gravity will be created in the capsule, which is necessary to maintain the health of astronauts.
Upon arrival on Mars, the capsule will remain in orbit, and the crew will land on the planet's surface. Two more pieces of the puzzle required for the mission are the descent vehicle and the inflatable heat shield, which will ensure the safe landing of astronauts on Mars. NASA is already testing technologies for such a heat shield under the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) program.
Station
At the end of the research work, the return home should be provided by a small rocket, which will first deliver the astronauts to the capsule in orbit, and then back to Earth.
Completing these steps will allow for a manned mission to Mars with the subsequent colonization of this planet. By the way, experts advise to be the first to send women to Mars.
