Mars - The Future Of Mars Exploration

NASA plans to launch robotic spacecraft to Mars during the oppositions of 2007 and 2009. In 2008 a spacecraft named Phoenix Mars Scout is scheduled to land on the Martian surface to investigate the water ice near the north polar region. It will also search for organic molecules in the soil. In 2009 a rover named the Mars Science Laboratory will be sent to conduct detailed chemical analysis of the Martian surface. NASA's long-term strategy calls for a robotic sample return mission sometime in the 2010s, possibly in cooperation with the ESA.

The ESA is considering launching a robotic Mars mission in 2011. It is expected to include a rover equipped with a drill and probes capable of studying the planet's atmosphere, rocks, and soil.

Human Missions to Mars

Human exploration missions will probably not be possible until the 2030s. There are several major obstacles that must be overcome to make these missions feasible. Most of the problems lie within bioastronautics (the field of biology concerned with the effects of space travel on humans).

Scientists worry that radiation exposure poses a major health risk to astronauts traveling in deep space (beyond Earth's magnetosphere). A solar flare while they are in flight or on Mars could be particularly hazardous. Mars has no magnetosphere of its own. Its atmosphere is very thin, with little shielding effect. The radiation levels are two to three times higher than around Earth. Special protective clothing and materials will have to be developed to protect the astronauts from the radiation hazards.

Bone loss due to long-term weightlessness is also a major concern. A trip to Mars takes about six months with current propulsion technology. This would mean a minimum of one year in space for the astronauts. They might have to spend a long time on the planet. It is considered likely that the astronauts would make their flights to and from Mars near the times of Mars oppositions. These occur twenty-six months apart. Thus, it is possible that an entire Mars mission could last around two years. Scientists know that humans lose 1% to 2% of their bone mass per month while in space. This bone loss would pose a serious health threat to the astronauts during such a long mission.

The psychological pressures of long space missions have not been well studied. A trip to Mars would require astronauts to live and work in tight quarters and under very stressful conditions for a year or two. The psychological strain could prove to be a major problem during such a long journey.

Another obstacle facing astronauts on a Mars mission would be access to medical care. On such a long flight the astronauts would have to have doctors aboard and some means of performing remote diagnosis and treatment of any medical problems that arose.