Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Astrophysicist Sérgio Sacani, creator of the Space Today channel with 2.3 million subscribers and 11 years of daily videos about astronomy, detailed in an interview with Flow why landing on Mars before 2050 remains the most difficult technical problem that the human species has ever faced.
The European Space Agency has recorded more than 40 missions launched to Mars since 1960. More than half ended in failure. Spacecraft that exploded before leaving orbit, probes that lost communication on the way, modules that crashed on the surface. According to a Brazilian engineer from NASA’s JPL, about 60% of missions to the red planet have failed. The United States is the exception, with a success rate of 70%.
Russia and Europe have tried for decades and have not succeeded in achieving an operational landing. The Soviet probe Mars 3 touched the surface in 1971 but transmitted for only 14.5 seconds. ESA attempted with Beagle 2 in 2003 and with Schiaparelli in 2016. Both failed.
Why slowing down the spacecraft before entering Mars’ orbit is the most dangerous moment of the entire journey?
The spacecraft travels at about 50,000 km/h during the 9 to 10 months journey between Earth and Mars. When it gets close to the planet, it needs to slow down to about 15,000 km/h in a few minutes to enter Martian orbit.
-
Went viral: Humanoid robot takes action against wild boars, scares residents, and becomes a symbol of a new urban response in Europe.
-
Brazil participates with its own satellite in a BRICS space network that has already mapped millions of square kilometers, and now the bloc wants to go further with new missions, radar for the Amazon, and even flights to the Moon.
-
Scientists warn and cities must prepare as urban noise is making millions sick; noise pollution causes 48,000 cases of heart disease per year and affects the sleep of 6.5 million people.
-
A creature with 20 arms gliding through the icy waters of Antarctica surprises researchers and intrigues science: the discovery of the genus Promachocrinus fragarius reveals unusual life forms and raises an inevitable question — how many marine “aliens” have yet to be found?
If it doesn’t slow down, it will pass straight through. This braking is done by an engine designed to operate in a vacuum, and for about 15 continuous minutes. The problem, as Sacani explained on Flow, is that this engine cannot be tested on Earth for the necessary time because it explodes in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The consequence is direct. The most critical engine of the entire mission has never been turned on for 15 consecutive minutes before the moment when everything depends on it. Each mission that successfully completes this step is, to some extent, an unprecedented test.
The launch window for Mars opens every two years, when the position of the planets allows the spacecraft to intercept Martian orbit at the right point. Outside of this window, the distance makes the journey unfeasible with current propulsion.
What happens to the human body in 10 months of microgravity?
On the International Space Station, astronauts are required to exercise daily for hours, using treadmills with levers and elastic bands adapted for the lack of gravity.
Even so, prolonged stays cause muscle atrophy, spacing of the vertebrae in the spine, redistribution of fluids in the face, and bone loss estimated at 1% per month, according to NASA data.
Sacani mentioned that experts are discussing whether those who go to Mars will be able to return to Earth. The trip takes about 10 months. The minimum stay on the planet, waiting for the next orbital window, is almost 2 years. The return takes another 10 months. In total, it is at least 4 years outside of Earth’s gravity.
Some argue that after this period, the human body may not readjust to Earth’s conditions. Sacani himself estimated that a first human landing on Mars could happen around 2050.
If half of the missions fail, why does humanity insist on going?
Mars is the planet most similar to Earth in the solar system. It once had liquid water on its surface, a denser atmosphere, and possibly conditions to support life. Understanding what happened to Mars helps to understand what could happen to Earth.
In addition to scientific interest, there is the strategic factor. The race for Mars involves billions of dollars in public and private contracts, accelerates the development of propulsion, materials, and artificial intelligence applied to autonomous navigation.
NASA has already produced oxygen on Mars using CO₂ from the Martian atmosphere through the MOXIE experiment on the Perseverance rover. China plans to bring back Martian soil samples by 2031. SpaceX is working on the Starship with the goal of transporting humans to the planet. Every 26 months, the window opens, and more missions depart. The number of attempts keeps increasing, and each mistake reduces the margin of failure for the next one.
Going to Mars is the most expensive, slowest, and most dangerous problem that human engineering has ever tried to solve. And yet, the line of those who want to try keeps growing.
And you, would you dare to take a 4-year trip to step on a planet where no human has been, knowing that you might not be able to return? Or do you think Mars should be left only for robots? Comment below.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!