Mars Mission Update: ‘It Will Be Worth The Risk’ Scientist Says

Mars mission that will send humans to the red planet will be worth the risks. Planetary scientist Jim Bell said at the Humans to Mars summit, they need to make sure that what will be asked for in this mission will be worth the lives of these people on the mission.

The challenges facing the crewed Mars mission were discussed during the three-day summit organized by a non-profit group Explore Mars Inc. dedicated to sending humans on the red planet by 2030s. One of the appeals in sending humans is the speed of exploration. Based on reports, drilling a hole with Curiosity rover takes a week.

Addition to this is the fact that humans respond to new situations, make immediate decisions and view things in a way much different from a robotic eye. As explained by planetary scientist Ramses Ramirez, a robot explorer is not nearly as good as what the human geologist does, CBS News reported.

The idea is to build an outpost in orbit surrounding the moon as a testing and staging ground beginning in the late 2020s. The initial crew to Mars is expected to land on the planet - or may not. One plan is to set up a camp in Mars orbit; from there, the astronauts can run robots on the surface with no long communication delays. Another plan is humans will be touching down on one of Mars' two moons, Deimos or Phobos. When crews land on the Martian surface, NASA will establish a base from which astronauts can plan expeditions.

However, with limited details, it is difficult for the space agency to determine specific technologies to develop. Also, any mission to Mars will have to support astronauts for about 500 to 1,000 days. The mission must deal with delays on round-trip communication of up to 42 minutes. It will also require the ability to land 40-ton payloads on the surface of Mars.

The astronauts are also expected to make use of the local minerals and water, and that they need the capacity not only to survive, but to drive around and explore as well, according to Religion News.