Astronomer warned against dangers that humans may face on Mars
Vladimir Surdin, an astronomer and associate professor at the Moscow State University’s Faculty of Physics, commented on how long the flight from Earth to Mars will take, how it will affect the cosmonauts' health, and what challenges humans will face on the Red Planet
As noted by the expert, the flight from Earth to Mars lasts an average of 8 months. “We can reduce it to 7 or even 6.5 months, but this will be a flight in conditions of high cosmic radiation. Its level is such that a person will not be able to get to Mars as healthy as he was on Earth. Firstly, the flight envisages a long stay in zero gravity. Actually, we have somehow learned how to deal with the latter through physical exercises, but it is not the case with radiation – and this is quite dangerous. Secondly, moving away from Earth, a person is getting under the influence of solar bursts, powerful streams of solar radiation, and galactic cosmic rays. We are talking about rare but very powerful protons that permeate the spacecraft, and then the human body, causing irreversible destruction of brain cells and blood,” he explained.
The astronomer then predicted a further scenario of humans’ stay on Mars, if, despite all of the above circumstances, they reach the planet, “After a long flight, a person, physically weakened by weightlessness and radiation, should start working. We should not forget about the conditions: the gravity on Mars is about 2.5 times less than on Earth. Moreover, cosmonauts will have to work in heavy, clumsy spacesuits, similar to those used on the surface of the Moon. On Earth, this spacesuit weighs about 100kg, but – due to gravity – it is 6 times less heavy on the Moon: about 16kg. It is not so much heavy, but, definitely, it is also not so easy to have such a suit on. On Mars, it will weigh about 40kg. Try to take a similar backpack, walk around with it on your shoulders, do some scientific experiments, work with the rock. A cosmonaut arriving on Mars will feel about the same way.”
Mr. Surdin added that a person will not be able to work for a long time on the surface of the Red Planet, “For example, The Martian film – which shows Mars very correctly from an artistic and visual point of view – has scenes with red rock, strong wind and low-density atmosphere. The filmmakers reproduced all this very accurately. Of course, they slightly exaggerated the power of dust storms. Moreover, the filmmakers were not so correct in depicting the length of human stay on Mars. The main character spent more than three years there – somehow surviving, planting potatoes, but not hiding away from radiation. Believe me, it is impossible for a person to live three years on the surface of Mars without completely destroying health, or even life itself. There it is necessary to dig in, go underground, create an underground shelter to avoid powerful radiation streams. This was not featured in the film, but it would have to be done in the real life. Unfortunately, it would have been a true challenge, since the surface of Mars is the one of permafrost.”
