What are the 7 reasons that a journey to Mars is dangerous?

The human race who has already reached the moon is proceeding with development to realize reaching Mars. Mars is starting to become something close at hand, such as the plan to aim for Mars is proposed around 2020, but in fact there seems to be a number of problems that humankind has to face.

7 ways a trip to Mars could kill you - YouTube


Some examples of the dangers of going to Mars are given by Mr. Chris McKay, senior scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. He is a person involved in NASA's space development plan and is also a researcher on the dangers posed by the plan.


◆ 1: Rocket explosion
It is necessary to get on a rocket to go to space. Even though advanced technology is being introduced, if a fault occurs in the rocket which is fuel catchment and it explodes, the possibility of being safe is almost zero.


NASA sent 833 astronauts to space in the space shuttle program, but a total of 14 people were lost in the explosion accident of the Challenger in 1986 and the accident in the collision of the Colombia in 2003.



SpaceX which is said to be the most right wing to deliver humanity to Mars is not unrelated to the accident. Although accidents involving human lives have not occurred,Supply shipYaArtificial satelliteAn accident such as a big explosion occurred at the time of launch.


◆ 2: Risk of "cosmic radiation"
Even if the launch succeeded, the danger did not pass away.


In order to reach Mars, it will take a long time to travel through outer space. The problem at this time ... ...


It is radiation of cosmic radiation emitted from stars and others.


Cosmic radiation is a small particle flying over space with high energy, divided into kinds such as gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet rays, but both have influences on living things.


Because the earth has geomagnetism and atmosphere, most of the cosmic radiation does not reach the surface ......


Observations by NASA's spacecraft "Curio City" exploring Mars have revealed that a large amount of cosmic radiation is falling on Mars.


Also sometimes the impact of "solar flare" that occurs in the sun is enormous. In the solar flare, cosmic radiation of extremely high energy was released, occurred in 1989 and reached the earthMagnetic storm and solar flareThen, it caused damage such as a large blackout in Quebec province of Canada. When this solar flare strikes a sailing spacecraft, it is thought that there are no crews inside.


◆ 3: Danger lurks even on Mars landing
Even if it reaches Mars over a long time ...


There is a danger of failing to landing.


The atmosphere of Mars is about one hundredth of the Earth's state and it is very sparse.


Therefore, it can not decelerate by using friction with the atmosphere like when entering the Earth's atmosphere. In order to land the rocket on Mars, it is necessary to reverse-inject the rocket engine and use it for deceleration.


I faced the same problem when I landed the Mars probe "Curio City". It was said that it was extremely hard to just land a spacecraft of only 1 ton ......


It is obvious that it is not easy to put dozens or hundreds of people aboard and land rockets on Mars in the future.


◆ 4: Weakness of gravity
For Mars whose planet size is smaller than the Earth, the gravity is weakened accordingly.


This weak gravity influences the human body.


When living in space, astronauts regularly do strength training.


This is to prevent muscle and skeleton from degenerating in a zero gravity space. Nevertheless, astronauts returning to Earth are sometimes struggling to walk.


Also, in the universe there is also seen a drop in vision.


The gravity of Mars is only about 38% of the Earth's gravity. It is still unknown how the impact on the muscles, skeleton and vision of the human body in such an environment will be influenced.


◆ 5: Risk of suffocation
No matter how much you are wearing a space suit, there is no danger of "suffocation" present there.


Since the atmospheric pressure of Mars is about one hundredth of the earth, humans can not live without space suit or dedicated resident capsule.


In addition, the sand of Mars is very fine and there is also the possibility that it easily goes into the gap of equipment due to weak gravity. If that happens, it can also cause equipment trouble.


Change the environment of Mars that can not live as it is, so that human beings can liveTera FormingThe idea of ​​it has also been advocated from long ago.


Terra forming which was once only the science fiction world has been studied as a real story in the science world as well.


In terraforming, we first make the entire planet warm by using methane gas etc., and increase the atmospheric pressure and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to create an environment where plants grow.


It is thought that plants produce oxygen and create an environment where creatures can live.


◆ 6: Soil problems
Once Tera Forming is completed, we will enter into the production of essential food for living things.


This is what was drawn also in the movie "Odyssey" in 2015. Astronauts left behind on Mart playing Matt Damon survive, improving the soil of Mars and succeed in cultivating potatoes.


In fact, however, we should not grow crops using Martian soil.


The reason is that the presence of highly toxic perchlorate contained in the soil.


It is known that perchlorate adversely affects the thyroid gland of the human body, and if you eat crops made from that soil, there is a danger that unnecessary influences will be exerted on the human body.


◆ 7: Problems of human relations
Lastly, the question is whether the astronauts going to Mars can do well in a special environment. After having been in the closed state of the spacecraft for many years and reaching Mars there will be a psychological state in which the astronaut who will be doing activities as "Mars the only human being" It is a very special situation that has never experienced anyone yet.


In the 1990's, artificial ecosystem "Biosphere 2"Was made to verify whether it is possible for human beings to live in a closed space.


This mission, which was originally supposed to be continued for 100 years, has fallen into collapse in just two years. The reason was that the psychological influence due to not being able to deliver oxygen well in the facility appeared.


Astronauts are also human beings to the last, finding talented people suitable for Mars migration seems to be one of the big tasks.


It is thought that the crewmember who first leaves to Mars will participate in the mission prepared to be unable to return to the earth again. While it is likely that human beings will be forced to decide to go to Mars at a great sacrifice, it is inevitable that a great sacrifice will be accompanied by human intellectual spirit who unravels the mystery of the unseen land yet I do not.