mars tourism paragraph

What it would be like to travel to Mars as a space tourist

Following is a transcript of the video.

Imagine you could vacation on Mars. At first glance, Mars appears very different from Earth, but if you take a closer look, you'll discover that the Red Planet isn't all that different from our own.

Our first stop, the North Pole. This ice cap is bigger than Texas, and is mostly covered in water ice and solid carbon dioxide, aka dry ice. Heading south, we'll visit Kasei Valles. It's a vast system of chasms five times longer and 10 times wider than the Grand Canyon, and scientists think it formed in a similar way. Billions of years ago, Mars was warmer, and covered with liquid water, which likely carved out valleys like this one.

Mawrth Vallis

Mawrth Vallis is another valley close by, but it looks very different from our previous spot, thanks to its multicolored layers of clay. These deposits probably formed over millennia as Mars shifted towards a colder, drier climate, and they could provide clues to the history of liquid water and possible ancient life on Mars.

Bacquerel Crater

The next stop is another place that may have been teeming with life long ago, Bacquerel Crater. It's filled with rocks made of sulfate similar to ones on Earth that form after water evaporates, which has led scientists to suspect that this crater may once have been a massive lake over 160 kilometers wide.

Next stop, Iani Chaos. Now, this is one type of terrain you won't find anywhere on Earth. It's a maze of rugged cliffs and pillar-like hills called mesas that extend for 200 kilometers, and since there is nothing like it on Earth, scientists aren't exactly sure how these unique features formed. Its larger neighbor, Hydraotes Chaos, probably formed in a similar mysterious way. It stretches 350 kilometers, the same distance as New York City to Boston.

Valles Marineris

West of Hydraotes, we find one Mars's greatest attractions, Valles Marineris. It's the largest canyon in the solar system, running the length of New York to Los Angeles, and plunging four times as deep as the Grand Canyon.

Hebes Chasma

Following the canyon's main channel north, we reach Hebes Chasma. It's tiny compared to Valles Marineris, but it's worth the trek for a glimpse of the chasma's prominent mesa.

Olympus Mons

And no trip to Mars would be complete without a visit to Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system. It covers a region the size of Arizona. It's three times as tall as Mount Everest, and can comfortably fit all the volcanoes in Hawaii.

Promethei Planum

Moving south, we'll see Promethei Planum. It's a plane near the South Pole, covered in a sheet of ice nearly one and a half times as thick as the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Rabe Crater

Next, we'll swing around to Rabe Crater. It's covered in giant sand dunes 150 to 200 meters high, almost as tall as the Golden Gate Bridge.

Neukum Crater

Nearing the end of our tour is one of the oldest regions of Mars that dates back to at least 3.9 billion years ago, Neukum Crater. Scientists think this crater formed from a powerful impact early in Mars's history. In fact, you can still see pockmarks left by the crash.

Galle Crater

The last crater on our tour is formally named Galle Crater, but many call it Happy Face Crater for obvious reasons.

Finally, we've reached our last stop, the South Pole. In 2018, scientists found evidence of a liquid lake beneath the ice, which could be filled with saltwater.

But while that's a promising discovery, we still have much to learn about this fascinating world, like whether life once existed in those ancient lakes, or if it still exists today, possibly somewhere underground. But perhaps the biggest question of all, could human life survive here? Maybe in the future, you won't have to imagine your Martian vacation.

Video credit: ESA / Freie Universitat Berlin Planetary Sciences and Remote Sensing / CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in February 2019.

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What Would a Trip to Mars Look Like For a Tourist?

A trip to mars wouldn't exactly be a relaxing vacation. learn what it would be like to stay or live on mars..

By NASA’s current estimates, it would take around seven to eight months to get from Earth to Mars, and that’s on a good day when its orbit comes closest to Earth. And once you get there, it’s not exactly an Eden away from home. Rather, it’s an arid Martian desert with temperatures reaching  -81 degrees Fahrenheit  regularly.

It’s not habitable without spacesuits and a completely enclosed environment because Mars’ air is about  95 percent  carbon dioxide. There’s also no liquid water found on its surface.

But that hasn’t stopped humans from wanting to visit the planet. So what would this outer-planet tourism really entail?

Valentina Sumini , a space architect at MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative, says that there are major challenges right now that would largely preclude tourists from visiting Mars, mostly because of the radiation.

According to  NASA , “Our planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere protect us from harsh cosmic radiation, but without that, you are more exposed,” which can damage the human body and cause all sorts of degenerative diseases. We’d have to find a fix for this before making the voyage. 

What Is Mars Like?

Still, nonetheless, it’s fun to plan. “You’d have to imagine an entirely new type of exploration," says Sumini. In the same way as a trip to Antarctica, a trip to Mars wouldn’t just be about luxury; it would be about having astronauts lead learning experiences around science.

Most of your time as a tourist on Mars would be spent inside, in what Sumini calls “a mix of augmented and virtual reality.” You’d also have to stay in shape and train, working out to fend off the effects of reduced gravity on Mars and microgravity in the voyage getting to the planet.

According to  NASA , without gravity, your bones lose minerals, dropping about 1 percent of bone density per month. And you’d have to stay at least two years to get back to Mars’ shortest orbit from Earth. 

Read More: The First 'Space Hotel' Plans to Open in 2027

Can Plants Grow on Mars?

It would be difficult to grow plants in Mars’ soil because it’s made of regolith, a reddish space dust that contains poisonous compounds of chlorine in molecules called perchlorates.

Researchers have tried growing plants that mimic conditions on Mars using a soil that’s akin and found in a product called  Mars Regolith Simulant . Additionally, you’d have to grow plants that could tolerate shade because, on Mars, you’d get about  60 percent of the light  that you would on Earth.

That’s why, says Sumini, food production would revolve around an indoor hydroponic greenhouse. The greenhouse would also serve as a means for tourists to reconnect to the nature they would be missing back home.

“You’d take a stroll in the greenhouse not just for food production but also for relaxation,” says Sumini. The water coming down from the ceiling would not just feed the plants; it would also recreate the feeling of rain in a world where water could only exist indoors.

Read More: How Scientists Create Oxygen for Astronauts on Prolonged Space Missions

Can We Live on Mars?

All of the elements that we take for granted on Earth would not exist on Mars, and therefore, says Sumini, we would have to imagine what it would feel like to be isolated in such an extreme environment. Including finding a way to reconnect with those you’ve left behind on Earth.

Being a tourist on Mars involves finding ways to deal with all of the elements that make it physically inhospitable. But humans are emotional beings, and survival would be about way more than just staying alive. Sumini contends that our most pressing objective might be finding a way to thrive psychologically on the Red Planet.

Read More: Life on Mars May Have Evolved Like a Nice Risotto – Not Too Moist and Not Too Dry

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Five reasons to explore Mars

Subscribe to the center for technology innovation newsletter, darrell m. west darrell m. west senior fellow - center for technology innovation , douglas dillon chair in governmental studies.

August 18, 2020

The recent launch of the Mars rover Perseverance is the latest U.S. space mission seeking to understand our solar system. Its expected arrival at the Red Planet in mid-February 2021 has a number of objectives linked to science and innovation. The rover is equipped with sophisticated instruments designed to search for the remains of ancient microbial life, take pictures and videos of rocks, drill for soil and rock samples, and use a small helicopter to fly around the Jezero Crater landing spot .

Mars is a valuable place for exploration because it can be reached in 6 ½ months, is a major opportunity for scientific exploration, and has been mapped and studied for several decades. The mission represents the first step in a long-term effort to bring Martian samples back to Earth, where they can be analyzed for residues of microbial life. Beyond the study of life itself, there are a number of different benefits of Mars exploration.

Understand the Origins and Ubiquity of Life

The site where Perseverance is expected to land is the place where experts believe 3.5 billion years ago held a lake filled with water and flowing rivers. It is an ideal place to search for the residues of microbial life, test new technologies, and lay the groundwork for human exploration down the road.

The mission plans to investigate whether microbial life existed on Mars billions of years ago and therefore that life is not unique to Planet Earth. As noted by Chris McKay, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Science Center, that would be an extraordinary discovery. “Right here in our solar system, if life started twice , that tells us some amazing things about our universe,” he pointed out. “It means the universe is full of life. Life becomes a natural feature of the universe, not just a quirk of this odd little planet around this star.”

The question of the origins of life and its ubiquity around the universe is central to science, religion, and philosophy. For much of our existence, humans have assumed that even primitive life was unique to Planet Earth and not present in the rest of the solar system, let alone the universe. We have constructed elaborate religious and philosophical narratives around this assumption and built our identity along the notion that life is unique to Earth.

If, as many scientists expect, future space missions cast doubt on that assumption or outright disprove it by finding remnants of microbial life on other planets, it will be both invigorating and illusion-shattering. It will force humans to confront their own myths and consider alternative narratives about the universe and the place of Earth in the overall scheme of things.

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As noted in my Brookings book, Megachange , given the centrality of these issues for fundamental questions about human existence and the meaning of life, it would represent a far-reaching shift in existing human paradigms. As argued by scientist McKay, discovering evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars would lead experts to conclude that life likely is ubiquitous around the universe and not limited to Planet Earth. Humans would have to construct new theories about ourselves and our place in the universe.

Develop New Technologies

The U.S. space program has been an extraordinary catalyst for technology innovation . Everything from Global Positioning Systems and medical diagnostic tools to wireless technology and camera phones owe at least part of their creation to the space program. Space exploration required the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to learn how to communicate across wide distances, develop precise navigational tools, store, transmit, and process large amounts of data, deal with health issues through digital imaging and telemedicine, and develop collaborative tools that link scientists around the world. The space program has pioneered the miniaturization of scientific equipment and helped engineers figure out how to land and maneuver a rover from millions of miles away.

Going to Mars requires similar inventiveness. Scientists have had to figure out how to search for life in ancient rocks, drill for rock samples, take high resolution videos, develop flying machines in a place with gravity that is 40 percent lower than on Earth, send detailed information back to Earth in a timely manner, and take off from another planet. In the future, we should expect large payoffs in commercial developments from Mars exploration and advances that bring new conveniences and inventions to people.

Encourage Space Tourism

In the not too distant future, wealthy tourists likely will take trips around the Earth, visit space stations, orbit the Moon, and perhaps even take trips around Mars. For a substantial fee, they can experience weightlessness, take in the views of the entire planet, see the stars from outside the Earth’s atmosphere, and witness the wonders of other celestial bodies.

The Mars program will help with space tourism by improving engineering expertise with space docking, launches, and reentry and providing additional experience about the impact of space travel on the human body. Figuring out how weightlessness and low gravity situations alter human performance and how space radiation affects people represent just a couple areas where there are likely to be positive by-products for future travel.

The advent of space tourism will broaden human horizons in the same way international travel has exposed people to other lands and perspectives. It will show them that the Earth has a delicate ecosystem that deserves protecting and why it is important for people of differing countries to work together to solve global problems. Astronauts who have had this experience say it has altered their viewpoints and had a profound impact on their way of thinking.

Facilitate Space Mining

Many objects around the solar system are made of similar minerals and chemical compounds that exist on Earth. That means that some asteroids, moons, and planets could be rich in minerals and rare elements. Figuring out how to harvest those materials in a safe and responsible manner and bring them back to Earth represents a possible benefit of space exploration. Elements that are rare on Earth may exist elsewhere, and that could open new avenues for manufacturing, product design, and resource distribution. This mission could help resource utilization through advances gained with its Mars Oxygen Experiment (MOXIE) equipment that converts Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen. If MOXIE works as intended, it would help humans live and work on the Red Planet.

Advance Science

One of the most crucial features of humanity is our curiosity about the life, the universe, and how things operate. Exploring space provides a means to satisfy our thirst for knowledge and improve our understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe.

Space travel already has exploded centuries-old myths and promises to continue to confront our long-held assumptions about who we are and where we come from. The next decade promises to be an exciting period as scientists mine new data from space telescopes, space travel, and robotic exploration. Ten or twenty years from now, we may have answers to basic questions that have eluded humans for centuries, such as how ubiquitous life is outside of Earth, whether it is possible for humans to survive on other planets, and how planets evolve over time.

The author would like to thank Victoria E. Hamilton, staff scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, for her helpful feedback on this blog post.

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Mars Tourism: Fantasy or Near Future? Assessing the Viability of Interplanetary Travel

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The prospect of Mars tourism tantalizes with its blend of extreme adventure and unprecedented exploration, forming the next potential leap for the travel industry. Once the stuff of science fiction, the idea is inching closer to reality as advancements in spacecraft technology improve and plans for human settlement on the Red Planet take shape. Agencies like NASA along with private entities such as SpaceX are progressively chipping away at the immense challenges of interplanetary travel. In this context, Mars tourism oscillates between an ambitious dream and an achievable goal on the horizon.

The journey to Mars, however, presents numerous obstacles, ranging from technological hurdles to ensuring the safety and well-being of space travelers over vast distances. The lengthy trip will require breakthroughs in propulsion systems, sustainable life support, and protection from cosmic radiation. Once travelers arrive, the development of habitable bases will be paramount for their prolonged stay.

The economic implications are no less significant, raising questions about the affordability of Mars travel and the potential for commercial ventures. These facets culminate in a debate of enormous scale: is Mars tourism a fantasy awaiting relegation to the realms of imagination, or is it an impending future that today’s generation might witness?

Key Takeaways

• Mars tourism is transitioning from fiction to feasible goal as space agencies and private companies make strides in space travel technology.
• Significant challenges, including technological innovation and human safety concerns, must be overcome to make Mars tourism viable.
• Economic considerations and the development of commercial opportunities will play crucial roles in shaping the feasibility of Mars tourism.

Mars in Perspective

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, captivates with its distinctive red hue and potential for future exploration. This section unveils the Red Planet within the broader context of human discovery and its inherent physical traits, setting the stage for discussions about its viability as a tourism destination.

Historical Context of Mars Exploration

The history of Mars exploration is a testament to human curiosity and technological progress. From the first telescopic observations by Galileo in the 17th century, humanity’s fascination with the Red Planet has only grown. NASA’s efforts, beginning with the Mariner missions of the 1960s, have progressively revealed Mars’s secrets. The Viking landers in the 1970s provided the first close-up images of the Martian surface, forever altering our view of Mars.

Subsequent missions like Pathfinder with its Sojourner rover in 1997 and, more recently, the Perseverance rover, have underscored our relentless quest to understand Mars and assess its capacity to support life. International cooperation also plays a role with projects like the International Space Station serving as a testbed for long-duration space travel, a precursor for eventual crewed missions to Mars.

Mars Physical Characteristics

Mars is often called the “Red Planet” due to its reddish appearance, the result of iron oxide, or rust, on its surface. It has a day length similar to Earth’s at 24.6 hours and a much thinner atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide. Its topographical features are both grand and diverse, including volcanoes and valleys that dwarf their terrestrial counterparts. Olympus Mons rises three times higher than Mount Everest, making it the largest volcano in the solar system. Meanwhile, Valles Marineris, a system of canyons, stretches over 4,000 kilometers, presenting a rift system more extensive than the Grand Canyon. The planet’s harsh climate and thin atmosphere, however, pose significant challenges to human visitation and habitation.

The Challenges of Mars Tourism

In pursuing the dream of Mars tourism, several formidable challenges stand in the way, from the intricacies of space travel to the safety of tourists.

Technological Barriers

Spacecraft Technology: Current spacecraft are not yet fully equipped for transporting tourists to Mars. Beyond the orbit of Earth, these vessels must have advanced life support systems, reliable propulsion, and the ability to operate autonomously. Private companies like SpaceX aim to develop technology for sustainable interplanetary travel, but such innovation requires extensive launches and testing.

Life Support and Habitat: Tourists will need a habitation that can support human life in the harsh Martian environment. Challenges include creating efficient recycling systems for air and water, as well as developing power systems that can operate in the solar system ‘s outer regions where sunlight is weaker.

Health and Safety Concerns

Radiation Exposure: Mars lacks a magnetic field similar to Earth’s, which means higher exposure to cosmic rays and radiation . Addressing this risk involves developing materials and protocols to protect tourists during the journey and their stay on Mars.

Health Risks from Weightlessness: Long-term exposure to weightlessness can lead to muscle atrophy, bone density loss, and other health issues. Companies like NASA , Virgin Galactic , and Blue Origin are pioneering countermeasures, but these have yet to be fully proven for the duration required for Mars travel.

Microbial Life and Planetary Protection: The possible existence of Martian microbial life poses a dual challenge: protecting Mars from Earth microbes and protecting Earth from Martian ones. Strict protocols must be in place to prevent contamination in either direction.

Journey to the Red Planet

The expedition to Mars represents a leap in human achievement, encompassing advanced space travel and the utilization of intricate orbital mechanics. Pioneering organizations like SpaceX are pivotal in actualizing Mars tourism, employing cutting-edge technology to conquer the vast distances of the solar system.

Launch and Travel

The journey to Mars begins with a launch from Earth, a process that demands precision and high-powered rockets. SpaceX, a trailblazer in space innovation, has developed rockets capable of exiting Earth’s atmosphere and propelling spacecraft toward the Red Planet. As travelers escape Earth’s gravitational pull, they transition through Earth orbit , gradually setting course for a long-haul voyage across the solar system .

• Earth to Lunar Orbit : Travelers experience the first leg of the journey.
• Transition : The spacecraft navigates from Earth’s influence to a path leading to Mars.

Orbital Dynamics and Landing

Understanding the orbital dynamics of both Mars and the spacecraft is crucial for a successful landing . The spacecraft must synchronize with Mars’ orbit, often using a moon, such as our own, for a gravitational assist to correct its trajectory. Once in Mars orbit , the final stage involves deploying landers that can handle the descent through the Martian atmosphere and touch down safely on the planet’s surface.

• Gravity Assist : A technique using the moon’s gravitational force to adjust the spacecraft’s course.
• Mars Orbital Insertion : Achieving the right velocity to enter Mars’ orbit.

Travelers eventually descend in landers, designed to withstand the rigors of entry, descent, and landing within the Martian environment. Navigating these complex stages is essential for the palpable dream of setting foot on Martian soil.

Habitats and Human Settlement

Exploring the possibility of human settlements on Mars transitions from science fiction to potential reality. It hinges on creating sustainable habitats capable of supporting life in the harsh Martian environment.

Sustainable Living Solutions

Mars demands innovative habitat designs, given its thin atmosphere, extreme temperatures, and lack of liquid water on its surface. Scientists and engineers are working on sustainable living solutions that would allow humans to inhabit the Red Planet. The concept of Habitat Architecture Planning Stations (HAPS) is pivotal in these discussions, focusing on structures that can be constructed on Mars using locally sourced materials.

The International Space Station (ISS) serves as a model for long-term habitability in space . It demonstrates how humans can live in isolation, recycle waste, and manage limited resources over extended periods. This experience informs the strategies for Mars habitations , which will rely heavily on recycling water and extracting resources from the Martian environment, like ice and carbon dioxide , to support life.

Maintaining HAPS on Mars will involve efficiently managing life-support systems in a closed environment. Key considerations include air quality management, water recycling , and in situ resource utilization (ISRU) – converting Martian materials into usable products like building materials and fuel.

Scientific advancements promote the feasibility of these habitats. Research on martian soil, for instance, proposes the use of regolith—Mars’s soil—as a building material for 3D printed habitats. The manipulation of Martian ice can potentially create water reserves and contribute to the creation of effective radiation shielding, imperative for protecting residents from Mars’ high levels of cosmic radiation.

These sustainable living solutions are not merely speculative; they are subject to rigorous scientific research and testing. The ultimate aim is to ensure that human occupants can have a semblance of normalcy, with access to the basic necessities of life: breathable air, drinkable water, palatable food, and safe shelter, all in the context of an entirely alien world.

Surface Exploration and Activities

Visitors to Mars, commonly known as the Red Planet, can expect a robust itinerary filled with stunning landscapes and geological wonders. Martian exploration will capitalize on its unique features, from towering volcanoes to expansive canyons, promising a blend of education and adventure.

Martian Landscapes and Geology

Mars offers an array of geological features distinctly different from those on Earth. Its surface is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons , a shield volcano that towers about 22 kilometers high, nearly three times the height of Mount Everest. Tourists could engage in treks on its vast slopes, guided by insights from past missions like the Curiosity rover.

The planet’s geology is further marked by features such as the Valles Marineris , a system of canyons that spans over 4,000 kilometers and dwarfs the Grand Canyon on Earth. This canyon could provide breathtaking vistas for sightseers and serve as an outdoor laboratory for amateur geologists.

Potential Tourist Attractions

Mars exploration wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its most iconic potential tourist attractions. Beyond Olympus Mons, adventurers could explore the northern hemisphere’s plains, which are home to sprawling sand dunes. It’s conceivable that in the future, tourists may even visit locations where water ice has been found, offering a stark contrast to the otherwise arid landscape. Furthermore, the discovery of craters could offer another point of interest, with some possibly having hosted lakes in Mars’ distant past. Each site presents a unique opportunity for learning and exploration, making Mars tourism an attractive prospect for those drawn to the unknown.

Mars Economics and Commercial Ventures

As the prospect of Mars tourism transitions from ethereal concept to potential reality, an examination of the economic and commercial underpinnings becomes essential. Investments are fueling advancements in space technology, and several key players are emerging in this burgeoning industry.

Space Industry Investments

Vast sums are being channeled into the space sector, particularly within companies like SpaceX , driven by Elon Musk’s vision of Mars colonization. SpaceX has developed the Starship system with the express intent of ferrying humans to Mars. Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are investing heavily in space tourism, aiming to make suborbital flights a reality for the public.

Substantial investment also comes from nation-states with space aspirations. China has become a significant player, allocating funds to develop technologies for potential crewed Mars missions. The United Arab Emirates has invested in its Mars probe, Hope, which adds to its diversification from an oil-based economy. Russia continues to capitalize on its long-standing experience with the Soyuz spacecraft , aiming to maintain a strong presence in space economics.

These investments are not mere whims; they’re part of a calculated push to open a new frontier of economic opportunity. While the current state of this market is nascent, the long-term vision involves not only tourism but also the use of Mars as a base for further space exploration and potential resource extraction. The investments today are laying the groundwork for what could be a transformative chapter in economic history, one not limited by Earth’s horizons.

Future Perspectives in Mars Tourism

Mars : a destination that was once relegated to the realms of science fiction is now a focal point for innovation and the future trends of space tourism . Researchers and companies alike are paving the way for eventual human visits through relentless dedication and technological advances. The prospect of Mars tourism hinges on several key developments currently unfolding within the aerospace industry.

Innovation in spacecraft design and propulsion is already breaking barriers, making the notion of Mars as a holiday destination more tangible. They are hard at work on habitats that could sustain human life in the harsh Martian environment, as well as transportation systems that could facilitate surface exploration.

• Radiation protection
• Life support systems
• Psychological challenges of long-duration space travel

With space stations serving as potential waypoints or training grounds for Mars-bound travelers, the infrastructure needed for interplanetary trips is being conceptualized. These floating laboratories could help condition astronauts for the Martian atmosphere and gravity, a stepping stone to the Red Planet.

Future trends hint at a gradual progression from unmanned rovers to manned missions, followed by short-term stays, and eventually, tourism. The integration of advanced robotics, AI, and sustainable life-support systems will form the backbone of Martian infrastructure, essential for any form of tourism.

Despite the long road ahead, the trajectory for Mars tourism is being plotted with each successful mission and study. As space agencies and private entities continue to collaborate and innovate, the allure of Mars seems not a question of “if” but “when”.

Frequently Asked Questions

The realm of Mars tourism is burgeoning with technological advancements and intriguing proposals. These FAQs distill the emergent realities of a journey to the Red Planet.

What are the current advancements in technology that could enable Mars tourism?

The push for Mars tourism has seen significant strides in propulsion systems, habitat modules, and life support systems. Companies like SpaceX are developing spacecraft such as the Starship, aiming to one day transport humans to Mars.

How does the Mars tourism concept address safety and health challenges for travelers?

Mars tourism concepts prioritize radiation shielding, psychological health strategies, and physical wellness in microgravity. Agencies are exploring advanced medical support mechanisms and emergency protocols to protect tourists in the Martian environment.

What potential timeframe do experts anticipate for the first tourist trips to Mars?

Experts suggest that the first tourist trips to Mars could occur within the next decade, given the current pace of technological development and successful simulations of Mars habitats on Earth.

How will the Martian environment be made hospitable for tourists?

To make Mars hospitable, domed habitats with Earth-like conditions are proposed. These structures would manage atmospheric pressure, oxygen levels, and temperature to support human life.

What financial considerations are associated with commercial travel to Mars?

Commercial travel to Mars involves significant expenditures in spacecraft development, life support systems, and infrastructure. The cost per traveler will initially be very high but is expected to decrease as technology advances and economies of scale are achieved.

What ethical implications does colonizing Mars have for space tourism developments?

The concept of Mars colonization brings forth ethical considerations such as the preservation of Martian environments and the responsible use of its resources. Ethical frameworks are being discussed to guide the conduct of both tourists and spacefaring corporations.

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The Importance of Sustainable Space Tourism Practices: Ensuring a Future for Galactic Exploration

The race to the moon: unveiling the future of private space travel and lunar tourism, the psychological effects of space travel on tourists: insights into the astronaut experience, the evolution of space tourism: how cosmic travel became attainable, the role of private companies in advancing space exploration initiatives, spaceports around the world: unveiling global launch sites.

Mars Attracts: Space Tourism Becomes The Final Fun-tier

Restrictions continue to put a chill on world travel, cutting off popular places on maps we’re all familiar with. But what about places and travel experiences of the third kind ?

We’re talking about boldly going where no tourist has gone before. Space, the final frolicking frontier. Encouraged that not one but three spacecraft put aloft by as many nations are at this very moment casing the Red Planet for its future potential as an extra Earth (one never knows), it’s shining a laser light on off-world experiences being quickly commercialized.

We’re getting there, step by step. Headlines blared congrats on Feb. 18 as NASA’s Perseverance robotic rover landed safely on Mars — America’s sixth Mars landing — even as China’s Tianwen-1 probe and the United Arab Emirates spacecraft Hope took up orbit above.

In other words, Mars is getting crowded already, like The Hamptons. But at least when “Mars Hotel” finally opens (as foretold in 1974 by The Grateful Dead) there’s already a way to pay.

Marscoin is a new cryptocurrency fielded by The Mars Society to not only help fund missions, but also to act as the new world’s reserve currency. Sounds far out, but it’s just the payments business looking for new opportunities. And, as the Marscoin folks say , for “a new planetary settlement, a payment and value transfer/storage system such as bitcoin would be useful, first and foremost. It is very unlikely that the first Martian settlers will start printing paper.”

Don’t be so sure. Paper checks can survive in a vacuum.

Since there are no “Fifth Element”-style space pleasure cruises to Mars (yet), let’s look at some of the near-Earth activities that are now available (or soon will be) to zero-gravity thrill-seekers.

Near-Space Tourism Is Taking Off

Planetary forces like international commerce and the obsessive need to post the best vacation photos on Instagram are combining to break the surly bonds of earth.

In 2021, there are at least two companies testing high-altitude balloon rides to the edge of space. Based out of Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, Space Perspective just notched $7 million in seed financing to get its Spaceship Neptune project ( ahem ) off the ground.

Founder and Co-CEO Taber MacCallum said in a December statement that “our ability to make space accessible in unprecedented ways carries immense importance. We are grateful that this premier group of investors recognizes that space tourism has arrived and is a significant driver in the future growth of commercial spaceflight.”

And there it is: space tourism. Everybody wants a piece of the high-flying action.

In Spain, startup Zero 2 Infinity (Z2I) bills itself as a “zero-emissions space transportation company” with its Bloon space balloon gondola concept. Not only does Z2I want to take people to the edge of space, it also wants to take paid advertisements up there. Introducing what it calls HAPS for “High-Altitude Platform,s” Z2I intends to put advertising high in the sky, perhaps ushering in a new era in Superbowl ads (and neck strain from looking up).

What about Mr. Tesla himself, Elon Musk? On Feb. 1, the SpaceX founder announced that the first all-civilian crew will be lifted aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. And who’s leading that civilian crew? It’s Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments , a Pennsylvania-based payment processor. Talk about moving money around the planet — at 17,500 miles per hour.

Well played, sir.

Space Is Officially Open for Business

As for the further commercialization of near-Earth, it’ll be profits before fun. But still fun.

Last October, NASA announced that it will completely commercialize near-Earth communications for orbital and moon missions by 2030. NASA’s reasons for turning to the private sector sound an awful lot like the reasons that banks partner with FinTechs .

“By shifting to commercial communications services, NASA will free up personnel and resources to focus on technology development while bolstering the commercial space economy. This shift may also reduce the overall cost of communications services while enhancing network responsiveness and availability,” per the announcement . Might as well be talking about RTP.

“When NASA becomes just one of many customers in a commercial marketplace, missions can benefit from competitive pricing from an abundance of service providers,” it said.

No discussion about the commercialization of space would be complete without checking in on two other high-flying high-rollers: Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson and Amazon’s Mr. Jeff Bezos.

For his part, Branson’s Virgin Galactic is waitlisting private citizens for a future visit to the International Space Station. The company says that “under an agreement with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Virgin Galactic is developing a new orbital astronaut readiness program for private individuals interested in purchasing missions to the International Space Station. This program builds on Virgin Galactic’s commercial spaceflight training experience and position as the world’s preeminent space experience brand. It will offer a unique turnkey approach to orbital flight, from the procurement of transportation to the provision of training, all delivered with an unparalleled and proven commitment to personalized customer experience.”

If you’re wondering what Bezos is going to do with his spare time as he’s no longer day-to-day at Amazon, we’re betting he’ll spend more time with Blue Origin , his own spaceflight venture.

People are waitlisting for rides in Blue Origin’s suborbital, reusable New Shepard rocket system, of which the website boasts “every seat’s a window seat.” A trip will include a stay at the secluded high-plains desert launch area in West Texas. It’s an 11-minute flight, or will be, but we’re guessing it would be the 11 most memorable minutes of one’s earthy life.

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Science News Explores

Preparing for that trip to mars.

Here are some of the obstacles that scientists are hurdling to get humans to the Red Planet

This artist’s illustration depicts what a possible mission to Mars might look like. To make it reality, though, scientists must first solve a lot of problems.

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By Ilima Loomis

February 22, 2018 at 6:45 am

This is the first of a two-part series on preparations for upcoming human space missions to the Red Planet.

Mark Watney has found himself stranded on Mars. It’s 2035 and his crewmates, thinking him dead, have left him behind in their evacuation of the Red Planet. He faces years, all alone, trying to survive in the face of radiation, storms and little food.

That last problem turns out to be a solvable one. Watney is a botanist. And he figures out how to grow potatoes. The potato seedlings come from his Thanksgiving dinner. Water is derived from leftover rocket fuel. And his own poop becomes fertilizer.

This scenario, from the book and movie The Martian , is science fiction. It is, however, based on fact. NASA studied potatoes in the 1980s and 1990s as a potential crop for human space missions. And though no one is yet growing potatoes on Mars, scientists are already developing tools to grow food in space.

Why? People will likely travel to Mars sometime in your lifetime. NASA has said it plans to send people to Mars in the 2030s. And the private space company SpaceX may send its first crewed mission to Mars as early as 2024.

But ferrying humans to Mars would be a much bigger challenge than getting them to the moon. To pull it off, we first need to solve a lot of problems. Getting to Mars is just one of them. Then we have to figure out where our food and water will come from. Planners also must figure out how space travelers will get any tools they may suddenly need when they’re millions of miles from the nearest hardware store. It’s a huge undertaking, but researchers around the world are already on the job.

Space farmers

Today’s space travelers don’t go to the moon or Mars; they head to the International Space Station (ISS). It’s orbiting 381 kilometers (237 miles) above Earth’s surface. There, astronauts live for weeks to months. Among their tasks are conducting experiments and testing equipment that could be useful for future missions to the moon, an asteroid, Mars or beyond.

If you visited the ISS today, nearly every bit of food you ate would have been shipped up from Earth. The exception: leafy greens. Those are the first foods being grown on the ISS.

There are many reasons NASA wants to learn to grow vegetables in space. Besides providing fresh food for astronauts, plants can provide life support by recycling air and water. “There’s also the psychological benefit that growing plants may have,” says Gioia Massa. She’s a plant scientist and the head of NASA’s Veggie Project at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

As Mark Watney learned on Mars, potatoes might be good survival food. They’ve got decent amounts of protein, some vitamins and other nutrients. They’re also rich in carbohydrates (sugars and starches). You couldn’t survive on potatoes alone. They could, however, help to keep you from starvation.

There are some downsides, though. Potatoes need to be cooked before they can be eaten. And potato plants need a lot of room to grow. So Massa and her colleagues started with something easier: lettuce.

In 2014, they sent ISS astronauts a garden. Lettuce seeds were packed into “plant pillows” with baked clay and fertilizer. Add water, some artificial light and voila! The lettuce grew!

But the astronauts couldn’t eat it.

They had to send every bit back to Earth to be studied. The next year, after NASA scientists confirmed this food was safe, the astronauts grew a second crop. This time they were allowed to chow down.

The astronauts used their lettuce to garnish hamburgers. They also made lettuce wraps with lobster salad inside. “They got really creative,” Massa says.

Not surprisingly, gardening is different in space than it is on Earth. Without gravity, plants don’t know which way is up. But they adapt. They send their shoots toward light and their roots in the opposite direction. Fans must circulate air. Otherwise, oxygen would gather in a ball around the plants, and they wouldn’t have enough carbon dioxide to do photosynthesis.

The scientists also had trouble providing the plants enough water. The fabric plant pillows containing the seeds, clay and fertilizer were designed to draw water from a reservoir. But they didn’t work fast enough. The astronauts ended up needing to water the plants by hand. Massa and her team are now redesigning the watering system.

ISS astronauts also have grown Chinese cabbage as well as flowers. In addition to being pretty, astronaut Scott Kelly’s garden of zinnias helped scientists study whether plants flower in space. They do! That’s important to know, because flowering is how some plants reproduce. It’s also part of how some plants make fruit.

Future crops will include a bitter Asian green called mizuna and cherry tomatoes, which astronauts will have to pollinate by hand using a tiny brush. “We don’t have bees up there,” notes Massa. One day, they might also grow peppers and herbs.

While the veggie garden is small for now, eventually it could someday help feed astronauts on long-distance space missions — or a colony on Mars. “Everything we do is a stepping stone,” Massa explains.

Building a faster engine

Reaching the ISS from Earth takes less than a day. A trip to Mars might take nearly a year — and a huge amount of fuel. The chemical engines used to launch a rocket into space with a fiery blast are not good at propelling a spacecraft to another planet. With no gas stations between here and Mars, “You pretty much have to take all your fuel with you,” says Bill Emrich. He’s a nuclear engineer with NASA at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. “If you’re going to do that, you want an engine that’s going to get a lot of miles per gallon.”

To do that, he says, you have to go nuclear. The right engine can take a very light gas, such as hydrogen, and heat it to extremely high temperatures in a nuclear reactor. That super-heated gas is sprayed out the back through a nozzle to propel the spacecraft forward. “The hotter you can make the gas coming out of the nozzle, the more efficient it is,” Emrich explains. “Also the lighter the gas, the more efficient it is.”

Nuclear engines aren’t just efficient, they’re fast. Unmanned spacecraft have been sent to the outer solar system using what’s known as ion propulsion. It works by accelerating electrically charged atoms, or ions, to push a spacecraft forward. Such a system could take a year to deliver people to Mars.  In contrast, a nuclear thermal engine might shorten that journey to just four or five months, Emrich says.

To get to Mars that quickly, a large spacecraft would need about 230 grams (a half pound) of uranium fuel. Uranium is radioactive, but the uranium fuel isn’t dangerous. “You could easily hold it in your hand and it wouldn’t hurt you,” Emrich notes. But once the reactor starts to operate, the uranium is split into other elements through fission . That’s when you have to be careful. “Those [fission products] are really very radioactive. And that’s where the deadliness comes in,” he says — “not from the uranium itself, but from the byproducts [of fission].”

This system would get rid of one big worry: Even if there were an explosion at lift-off, humans and Earth’s environment would be safe. Why? The spacecraft would use conventional rocket fuel for lift-off. The nuclear-heated engine would not be turned on until the rocket was already in space. Then if there were any explosion, any radioactive material would be spewed into space.

Emrich and his colleagues are working on testing the uranium fuel for this engine. Others are working on different parts. Some are looking to develop and test the reactor. Others are designing a way to integrate the reactor into the propulsion system.

Building this next generation of space engines takes time. “If we have plenty of funding, it could probably be done in 10 to 15 years,” Emrich says.

Astronauts headed to Mars will have to take along almost everything they’ll need. They might be able to harvest some raw materials from the Red Planet. But afterward they’ll need some way to use them. “We have to be much more Earth-independent” than on missions closer to home, says Niki Werkheiser. Like Emrich, she too works at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Explainer: What is 3-D printing?

Astronauts on the ISS have similar problems. If someone needs a special tool, they might have to wait months or longer for the next resupply mission. Werkheiser hopes to change that. She’s the lead scientist for a program that is bringing 3-D printing to space. With 3-D printing, astronauts could build the tools they need with the push of a button.

A 3-D printer works a bit like a hot-glue gun. Following a pattern on a computer, the printer squirts out a layer of polymer onto a tray. After this hardens into a plastic, the printer will add another layer. Then another. And it will keep this up until it has built a three-dimensional object. “You can do some really complex designs,” Werkheiser says. “You can build things with gears inside and moving parts — all in one print.”

Explainer: What are polymers?

On the ISS, printing tools could save time and money. But such printers also offer other benefits. Many of the tools and gadgets sent to space on rockets are made from strong materials. To survive the stresses of launch, they also are heavily reinforced. If they were printed in space, they could be made lighter and thinner, with more room in them for electronics, scientific instruments or other pieces. Such make-your-own tools may even be a necessity on a mission to the moon or Mars, where the delivery of spare parts may not be possible.

Printing in space doesn’t work exactly as it does on Earth. For instance, fans are needed to circulate air around the object to cool it during printing. But there are some advantages, too. “On the ground, gravity can actually cause some problems with 3-D printing,” Werkheiser says. Since hot plastic is flexible, earthbound printers sometimes need to add support structures to hold an object upright as it cools. I space, a printer can build in any direction.

Werkheiser’s team sent its first 3-D printer to the ISS in 2014. It printed paddle-shaped objects as a test. These were then compared to ones printed on Earth. “We really did not see any meaningful difference,” she says.

Next, Werkheiser hopes to launch a printer this coming spring that can recycle plastic wastes into the material for printing new objects. And in the future, NASA hopes to develop a fabrication laboratory (the “Fab Lab,” for short) that will be able to print things — even electronics — out of metal.

So now that the astronauts can print tools on demand, what was their first request? “We designed them a little back scratcher,” Werkheiser says. It turns out, the dry air on the space station causes astronauts skin to get itchy. Sometimes, at least, the problems of space exploration have very simple solutions.

Part two: En route to Mars, astronauts may face big health risks .

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Mars Gazette

The First Newspaper on Mars

The Ultimate Martian Adventure: 8 Amazing Places to Visit on Mars

by Rida Fatima

Mars, our neighboring planet, has long captivated the imagination of scientists, space enthusiasts, and even the general public. With its stark beauty and vast, barren landscapes, it’s a world of contrasts that fascinates and intrigues us. Imagine standing on the edge of a massive volcano or gazing into the depths of a canyon that dwarfs even the Grand Canyon on Earth. Picture yourself exploring the craters and valleys, searching for signs of life or evidence of ancient civilizations. For future tourists, the possibilities are endless, and the adventure is just beginning. While the landing sites for these missions will likely be chosen for safety and practicality, there’s no shortage of interesting geology to explore. Here are just a few of the incredible locations that await the intrepid travelers of the future.

Olympus Mons

Olympus Mons is one of the most fascinating destinations on Mars, and it’s a must-visit for any future Martian tourist. This massive shield volcano towers over the surrounding landscape, rising to a height of 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) above the Martian surface. To put that in perspective, Olympus Mons is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth! The volcano is so massive that its base is over 550 kilometers (340 miles) wide, making it wider than the entire state of Arizona. Standing on the slopes of Olympus Mons, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world – or at least, on top of a very large mountain! Whether you’re a geology enthusiast or just looking for an awe-inspiring adventure, Olympus Mons is a destination you won’t want to miss.

Tharsis Volcanoes

Tharsis is a volcanic plateau on Mars that’s home to some of the largest and most impressive volcanoes in the solar system. The Tharsis volcanoes are a must-visit destination for any intrepid Martian traveler, offering breathtaking views and fascinating insights into the geology of this amazing planet. The largest volcano on Tharsis is called Arsia Mons, which stands a towering 16 kilometers (10 miles) high. That’s nearly twice the height of Mount Everest! Another fascinating Tharsis volcano is Pavonis Mons, which is surrounded by a mysterious hexagonal pattern that has puzzled scientists for decades. And then there’s Ascraeus Mons, which is home to a gigantic fissure system that stretches for over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). Whether you’re a geology enthusiast or just looking for an adventure, the Tharsis volcanoes are a destination you won’t want to miss.

Valles Marineris

Valles Marineris is one of the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring destinations on Mars. This massive canyon system is over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) long and up to 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) deep, making it the largest canyon in the solar system. To put that in perspective, Valles Marineris is ten times longer and five times deeper than the Grand Canyon on Earth! But the canyon is not just big – it’s also home to some fascinating geological features. One of the most interesting is the massive cliff known as the “Great Tharsis Ridge,” which is over 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) high and runs for hundreds of kilometers along the eastern edge of the canyon. And if you’re a fan of extreme sports, Valles Marineris offers some truly out-of-this-world experiences – imagine rappelling down the side of a 7-kilometer-deep canyon, or hiking across a Martian landscape that looks like it belongs on another planet entirely! So if you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and some of the most stunning natural scenery in the solar system, Valles Marineris is the destination for you.

The North And South Poles Of Mars

The poles of Mars are some of the most fascinating and unique destinations in the solar system. Unlike the Earth’s poles, which are covered in ice, the poles of Mars are covered in a mixture of ice and frozen carbon dioxide, known as dry ice. This creates a stunning landscape of white and blue, with towering ice cliffs and deep valleys. One of the most fascinating features of the Martian poles is the seasonal changes – in the winter, the poles are shrouded in darkness and extreme cold, while in the summer, they are bathed in sunlight and relatively warm temperatures. The polar regions of Mars are also home to some fascinating geological features, including massive canyons and valleys, as well as the largest volcano in the solar system – Olympus Mons, which is located near the northern pole. And if you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the stunning auroras that light up the Martian sky.

The Gale Crater and Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons)

The Gale Crater and Mount Sharp, also known as Aeolis Mons, are two of the most fascinating and scientifically important destinations on Mars. The Gale Crater is a massive impact crater that’s over 150 kilometers (93 miles) in diameter, and it’s home to the Curiosity rover – one of the most advanced robotic explorers ever sent to Mars. Mount Sharp, located at the center of the Gale Crater, is a towering mountain that rises over 5 kilometers (3 miles) above the surrounding landscape. But Mount Sharp is more than just a mountain – it’s a geological time capsule, with layers of sediment that have been laid down over billions of years. By studying these layers, scientists hope to unlock the secrets of Mars’ past, and learn more about the planet’s geology and history. And if you’re looking for adventure, the Gale Crater and Mount Sharp offer plenty of opportunities for exploration and discovery. From hiking across the Martian landscape to studying the rocks and sediments up close, there’s something for everyone on this incredible planet.

The Recurring Slope Lineae in Hale Crater

The Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) in Hale Crater are some of the most mysterious and intriguing features on Mars. These dark streaks, which appear to flow down the sides of the crater walls during the Martian spring and summer, have puzzled scientists for years. Some believe that they may be evidence of liquid water on Mars, while others think that they may be caused by dry, flowing sand or dust. Whatever their cause, the RSL in Hale Crater offer a tantalizing glimpse into the geological and environmental mysteries of Mars. And if you’re looking for adventure, exploring the RSL in Hale Crater offers a unique and thrilling experience – imagine rappelling down the side of a Martian crater wall, or hiking through the rugged terrain in search of these elusive features.

Ghost Dunes

The ‘Ghost Dunes’ in Noctis Labyrinthus and Hellas basin are some of the most fascinating and enigmatic features on Mars. These dunes, which are believed to be millions of years old, have been preserved as ghostly outlines in the Martian rock. They were likely formed when Mars had a thicker atmosphere and more abundant liquid water, and they offer a glimpse into the planet’s past climate and geology. The dunes are also a reminder of the incredible power of wind on Mars, which is capable of shaping the landscape in ways that are both beautiful and mysterious. And if you’re looking for adventure, exploring the ‘Ghost Dunes’ offers a unique and thrilling experience – imagine hiking through the rugged terrain in search of these ancient formations, or camping under the Martian sky as you marvel at the wonders of the Red Planet.

Exploring the wonders of Mars is an adventure like no other. From towering mountains and vast canyons to mysterious dunes and ghostly outlines of ancient features, the Red Planet is a treasure trove of geological and environmental marvels. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a curious traveler, there’s something for everyone on this incredible planet. So pack your bags, grab your spacesuit, and get ready to experience the wonders of Mars. Who knows what discoveries and adventures await us in the future as we continue to explore and unlock the secrets of this fascinating planet!

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2021 Saw Progress on Mars, Rise in Space Tourists

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The year 2021 saw some important developments in the exploration of Mars as well as a rise in American-based space tourism.

In February, the American space agency NASA announced that its Mars explorer, Perseverance, landed successfully on the Red Planet. Perseverance is on a mission to collect Martian soil and rocks as part of a search for signs of ancient life.

Perseverance landed in an area of Mars called Jezero Crater. Scientists believe the area contains a large ancient lakebed. NASA considers the area a promising place to find possible signs of microbial life. Scientists believe if life ever existed on Mars, it would have been present 3 to 4 billion years ago, when water flowed on the planet. Perseverance is NASA’s fifth rover to explore Mars.

Perseverance carried to Mars a small experimental helicopter named Ingenuity. In April, NASA announced Ingenuity had successfully completed a takeoff and landing on the planet. It said the flight was historic; it marked the first time any aircraft had performed a powered, controlled flight on another planet.

Ingenuity was meant to demonstrate such flights are possible. NASA says similar helicopters and other aircraft could be used in the future to assist astronauts in search and collection operations.

Only a few test flights were planned, but the Ingenuity team said the first ones were so successful that they decided to extend the number of experimental flights. So far, Ingenuity has completed at least 17 flights, with flights progressing in length and distance.

This year, both China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent their first spacecraft to Mars.

In May, China announced that its Tianwen-1 spacecraft had successfully landed on Mars after a seven-month trip. The vehicle landed at Utopia Planitia, a large flat area in the northern half of the planet. The six-wheeled explorer is studying the planet’s surface soil and atmosphere in search for signs of ancient life.

The UAE’s Hope Probe spacecraft was sent to an extremely high orbit to study Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission aims to study atmospheric and weather conditions around Mars. Among other things, it seeks to help scientists understand how hydrogen and oxygen react in the planet’s upper atmosphere.

In February, scientists announced they had created a new map that aims to identify the best sources of water on Mars. Water is considered a critical resource to support future exploration activities on Mars. The map identifies two specific areas on Mars where subsurface ice could likely be found.

In July, British billionaire Richard Branson launched into space on a rocket plane built by Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company he created. Branson joined two pilots and three other “mission specialists” on the flight. Virgin Galactic aims to fly private citizens to the edge of space to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and observe Earth.

A little over a week later, American billionaire Jeff Bezos flew to the edge of space on a rocket built by his company, Blue Origin. Three other people took the quick trip with him: Bezo’s brother, a Dutch teenager and an 82-year-old pilot.

The flights by Branson and Bezos officially launched a new industry that promises any citizen the chance to visit space. Such trips will be costly, however. Virgin Galactic’s price for a single flight is $250,000. Blue Origin has not publicly announced its price. Both businesses have established operating bases, called “ spaceports ,” in rural areas of the U.S.

And earlier this month, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa arrived for a 12-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS). The businessman arrived along with an assistant aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The price of that trip has not been made public, but some reports say it cost up to $50 million.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page .

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Words in This Story

mission – n. an important project or trip, especially involving space travel

microbial – adj. relating to microbes (very small living things)

tourism – n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure

NASA’s Helicopter and Rover Make New Progress on Mars

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Collects First Martian Rock

Japanese Billionaire Becomes Latest Space Tourist to ISS

Star Trek’s William Shatner Becomes Oldest Man to Fly in Space

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The Future of Space Tourism Is Now. Well, Not Quite.

From zero-pressure balloon trips to astronaut boot camps, reservations for getting off the planet — or pretending to — are skyrocketing. The prices, however, are still out of this world.

By Debra Kamin

Ilida Alvarez has dreamed of traveling to space since she was a child. But Ms. Alvarez, a legal-mediation firm owner, is afraid of flying, and she isn’t a billionaire — two facts that she was sure, until just a few weeks ago, would keep her fantasy as out of reach as the stars. She was wrong.

Ms. Alvarez, 46, and her husband, Rafael Landestoy, recently booked a flight on a 10-person pressurized capsule that — attached to a massive helium-filled balloon — will gently float to 100,000 feet while passengers sip champagne and recline in ergonomic chairs. The reservation required a $500 deposit; the flight itself will cost $50,000 and last six to 12 hours.

“I feel like it was tailor-made for the chickens like me who don’t want to get on a rocket,” said Ms. Alvarez, whose flight, organized by a company called World View , is scheduled to depart from the Grand Canyon in 2024.

Less than a year after Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson kicked off a commercial space race by blasting into the upper atmosphere within weeks of each other last summer, the global space tourism market is skyrocketing, with dozens of companies now offering reservations for everything from zero-pressure balloon trips to astronaut boot camps and simulated zero-gravity flights. But don’t don your spacesuit just yet. While the financial services company UBS estimates the space travel market will be worth $3 billion by 2030, the Federal Aviation Administration has yet to approve most out-of-this-world trips, and construction has not started on the first space hotel. And while access and options — not to mention launchpads — are burgeoning, space tourism remains astronomically expensive for most.

First, what counts as space travel?

Sixty miles (about 100 kilometers) above our heads lies the Kármán line, the widely accepted aeronautical boundary of the earth’s atmosphere. It’s the boundary used by the Féderátion Aéronautique Internationale, which certifies and controls global astronautical records. But many organizations in the United States, including the F.A.A. and NASA, define everything above 50 miles to be space.

Much of the attention has been focused on a trio of billionaire-led rocket companies: Mr. Bezos’ Blue Origin , whose passengers have included William Shatner; Mr. Branson’s Virgin Galactic , where tickets for a suborbital spaceflight start at $450,000; and Elon Musk’s SpaceX , which in September launched an all-civilian spaceflight, with no trained astronauts on board. Mr. Branson’s inaugural Virgin Galactic flight in 2021 reached about 53 miles, while Blue Origin flies above the 62-mile mark. Both are eclipsed by SpaceX, whose rockets charge far deeper in to the cosmos, reaching more than 120 miles above Earth.

Balloons, like those operated by World View, don’t go nearly as high. But even at their maximum altitude of 18 or 19 miles, operators say they float high enough to show travelers the curvature of the planet, and give them a chance to experience the overview effect — an intense perspective shift that many astronauts say kicks in when you view Earth from above.

Now, how to get there …

Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, which are both licensed for passenger space travel by the F.A.A., are open for ticket sales. (Blue Origin remains mum on pricing.) Both companies currently have hundreds or even thousands of earthlings on their wait lists for a whirl to the edge of space. SpaceX charges tens of millions of dollars for its further-reaching flights and is building a new facility in Texas that is currently under F.A.A. review.

Craig Curran is a major space enthusiast — he’s held a reserved seat on a Virgin Galactic flight since 2011 — and the owner of Deprez Travel in Rochester, N.Y. The travel agency has a special space travel arm, Galactic Experiences by Deprez , through which Mr. Curran sells everything from rocket launch tickets to astronaut training.

Sales in the space tourism space, Mr. Curran acknowledges, “are reasonably difficult to make,” and mostly come from peer-to-peer networking. “You can imagine that people who spend $450,000 to go to space probably operate in circles that are not the same as yours and mine,” he said.

Some of Mr. Curran’s most popular offerings include flights where you can experience the same stomach-dropping feeling of zero gravity that astronauts feel in space, which he arranges for clients via chartered, specialized Boeing 727s that are flown in parabolic arcs to mimic being in space. Operators including Zero G also offer the service; the cost is around $8,200.

You can almost count the number of completed space tourist launches on one hand — Blue Origin has had four; SpaceX, two. Virgin Galactic, meanwhile, on Thursday announced the launch of its commercial passenger service, previously scheduled for late 2022, was delayed until early 2023. Many of those on waiting lists are biding their time before blastoff by signing up for training. Axiom Space, which contracts with SpaceX, currently offers NASA-partnered training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center. Virgin Galactic, which already offers a “customized Future Astronaut Readiness program” at its Spaceport America facility in New Mexico, is also partnering with NASA to build a training program for private astronauts.

Would-be space tourists should not expect the rigor that NASA astronauts face. Training for Virgin Galactic’s three-hour trips is included in the cost of a ticket and lasts a handful of days; it includes pilot briefings and being “fitted for your bespoke Under Armour spacesuit and boots,” according to its website.

Not ready for a rocket? Balloon rides offer a less hair-raising celestial experience.

“We go to space at 12 miles an hour, which means that it’s very smooth and very gentle. You’re not rocketing away from earth,” said Jane Poynter, a co-founder and co-chief executive of Space Perspective , which is readying its own touristic balloon spaceship, Spaceship Neptune. If all goes according to plan, voyages are scheduled to begin departing from Florida in 2024, at a cost of $125,000 per person. That’s a fraction of the price tag for Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, but still more than double the average annual salary of an American worker.

Neither Space Perspective nor World View has the required approval yet from the F.A.A. to operate flights.

Unique implications

Whether a capsule or a rocket is your transport, the travel insurance company battleface launched a civilian space insurance plan in late 2021, a direct response, said chief executive Sasha Gainullin, to an increase in space tourism interest and infrastructure. Benefits include accidental death and permanent disablement in space and are valid for spaceflights on operators like SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, as well as on stratospheric balloon rides. They’ve had many inquiries, Mr. Gainullin said, but no purchases just yet.

“Right now it’s such high-net-worth individuals who are traveling to space, so they probably don’t need insurance,” he said. “But for quote-unquote regular travelers, I think we’ll see some takeups soon.”

And as the industry grows, so perhaps will space travel’s impact on the environment. Not only do rocket launches have immense carbon footprints, even some stratospheric balloon flights have potentially significant implications: World View’s balloons are powered by thousands of cubic meters of helium, which is a limited resource . But Ted Parson, a professor of environmental law at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that space travel’s environmental impact is still dwarfed by civil aviation. And because space travel is ultra-niche, he believes it’s likely to stay that way.

“Despite extensive projections, space tourism is likely to remain a tiny fraction of commercial space exploration,” he said. “It reminds me of tourism on Mt. Everest. It’s the indulgence of very rich people seeking a transcendent, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the local environmental burden is intense.”

Stay a while?

In the future, space enthusiasts insist, travelers won’t be traveling to space just for the ride. They’ll want to stay a while. Orbital Assembly Corporation, a manufacturing company whose goal is to colonize space, is currently building the world’s first space hotels — two ring-shaped properties that will orbit Earth, called Pioneer Station and Voyager Station. The company, quite optimistically, projects an opening date of 2025 for Pioneer Station, with a capacity of 28 guests. The design for the larger Voyager Station , which they say will open in 2027, promises villas and suites, as well as a gym, restaurant and bar. Both provide the ultimate luxury: simulated gravity. Axiom Space , a space infrastructure company, is currently building the world’s first private space station; plans include Philippe Starck-designed accommodations for travelers to spend the night.

Joshua Bush, chief executive of travel agency Avenue Two Travel , has sold a handful of seats on upcoming Virgin Galactic flights to customers. The market for space travel (and the sky-high prices that come with it), he believes, will evolve much like civilian air travel did.

“In the beginning of the 20th century, only very affluent people could afford to fly,” he said. “Just as we have Spirit and Southwest Airlines today, there will be some sort of equivalent of that in space travel, too. Hopefully within my lifetime.”

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The company SpaceX achieved a key set of ambitious goals  on the fourth test flight of a vehicle that is central to Elon Musk’s vision of sending people to Mars.

Euclid, a European Space Agency telescope launched into space last summer, finally showed off what it’s capable of with a batch of breathtaking images  and early science results.

A dramatic blast from the sun  set off the highest-level geomagnetic storm in Earth’s atmosphere, making the northern lights visible around the world .

With the help of Google Cloud, scientists who hunt killer asteroids churned through hundreds of thousands of images of the night sky to reveal 27,500 overlooked space rocks in the solar system .

Is Pluto a planet? And what is a planet, anyway? Test your knowledge here .

Is Millionaire Space Tourist Planning Trip to Mars?

Update: Tito announced that his Inspiration Mars Foundation is seeking a married male-female couple to journey on a Mars flyby mission in 2018. For more details, see our  full story here.

Buzz is building about a planned 2018 private mission to Mars, which may launch the first humans toward the Red Planet.

A nonprofit organization called the Inspiration Mars Foundation — which is led by millionaire Dennis Tito , the world's first space tourist — will hold a news conference on Feb. 27 to announce the 501-day roundtrip mission, which will aim for a January 2018 launch.

"This 'Mission for America' will generate new knowledge, experience and momentum for the next great era of space exploration," Inspiration Mars  officials wrote in a media advisory yesterday (Feb. 20). "It is intended to encourage all Americans to believe again, in doing the hard things that make our nation great, while inspiring youth through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and motivation."

Tito made history in 2001, plunking down a reported $20 million for an eight-day trip to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. [ Photos: The First Space Tourists ]

Tito will participate in the Feb. 27 news conference. So will Taber MacCallum and Jane Poynter, CEO and president, respectively, of Paragon Space Development Corp., which has expertise in life-support systems; and space-medicine expert Jonathan Clark of the Baylor College of Medicine.

The speakers' backgrounds and the lofty goals articulated in the media advisory have led some people to speculate that Inspiration Mars is planning a manned mission to the Red Planet . And it looks like that may be the case, according to some media reports.

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On March 3, Tito will give a talk called "Feasibility Analysis for a Manned Mars Free Return Mission in 2018" at an aerospace conference in Montana, the NewSpace Journal reported  today (Feb. 21).

The NewSpace Journal says it obtained a copy of the paper Tito plans to present in Montana and gives a summary of its main thrust.

Tito's paper discusses "a crewed free-return Mars mission that would fly by Mars, but not go into orbit around the planet or land on it. This 501-day mission would launch in January 2018, using a modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched on a Falcon Heavy rocket," the NewSpace Journal writes. "According to the paper, existing environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) technologies would allow such a spacecraft to support two people for the mission, although in Spartan condition."

The mission would be privately financed and cheaper than previous estimates for manned Mars efforts, the NewSpace Journal adds, though no overall cost is given.

The purported involvement of California-based SpaceX is not a huge surprise, as company founder Elon Musk has repeatedly stressed his desire to help humanity reach and eventually colonize Mars . Indeed, SpaceX has been developing a mission concept called "Red Dragon," which would use its Dragon capsule to send astronauts to the Red Planet.

A 501-day mission would pose potentially serious physiological and psychological issues for astronauts (standard stints aboard the space station are currently just six months).

Researchers have tried to understand the psychological and sociological effects of being isolated in cramped quarters for long stretches, notably during the Russia-based Mars500 mock mission, which wrapped up in November 2011. But the physiological effects may be tougher to simulate and mitigate, experts say.

Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall  or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom . We're also on Facebook  and  Google+ . 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with  Space.com  and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

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The Prospects for Mars Space Tourism

by Jim Plaxco | Oct 16, 2022 | Commercial Space , Mars Settlement , Space Economics , Space Tourism

(This document was created in 2020 for reference use as a part of an entry in the Mars Society’s Mars City State Design Competition.)

In addressing the question of the size and value of an Earth → Mars tourism industry for the Mars City State Design Competition, there is insufficient hard data on which to draw in order to make reliable quantitative predictions. Therefore, any attempt to quantify the size and nature of a martian tourism industry will be without meaningful numerical value. As a baseline for this analysis, it will be assumed that there are one million people living on Mars and that current dollar values will be used where appropriate.

To date, the focus of space tourism industry studies has been targeted at the suborbital spaceflight tourism market. With respect to suborbital flights, the various space tourism studies have analyzed the impact of ticket price on market size in attempts to estimate total market size and potential industry revenues.

In considering the world’s current population of approximately 7.8 billion, it is estimated that 45 million people have a wealth greater than $1,000,000 US and that an additional 499 million have a wealth in the $100,000 to $1,000,000 range. [1]

While estimates for the total cost of a vacation on Mars are non-quantifiable at this time, Elon Musk has speculated that the price of a one-way flight from Earth to Mars may fall between $200,000 and $500,000. The singular unknown is with respect to cost estimates as to the expense of the actual stay on Mars.

Considering only the 45 million individuals with a wealth of more than $1,000,000, a recent study suggests that 18 percent or 8.1 million would consider spending more than $200,000 on a suborbital flight in today’s environment. [2] This would generate revenues in the range of from $1,620,000,000,000, given a $200,000 ticket price, to $4,050,000,000,000, given a $500,000 ticket price.

A key factor that invalidates the space tourism studies done to date with respect to martian tourism is that of trip duration. A vacation that includes a suborbital trip to LEO could easily be completed in 3-4 days. Similarly, using the Apollo missions as a baseline, trips to the Moon could be completed in time ranges of from less than a week to less than two weeks. [3]

Using the NASA Ames Research Center Trajectory Browser [4] configured to compute all Earth→Mars→Earth trip opportunities with maximum Delta-v set to the allowable maximum value of 20 km/sec, and set to optimize for minimum round trip time, a total of 100 round trip opportunities are identified. For these time-minimizing round trips, Mars-stay-times range from a minimum of 112 days to a maximum of 1,328 days while total trip duration ranges from a minimum of 912 days (2.5 years) to a maximum of 1824 days (5.0 years). These durations stand in stark contrast to the results of a 2012 tourism study that determined that the optimal length for a vacation is 8 days. [5]

The dramatic increase in total vacation duration, 152 times longer than the longest Apollo mission to the Moon, will most likely have an overwhelming impact on the number of people willing to undertake a vacation on Mars. Therefore, in terms of the Mars City State Design Competition and the size of the associated Martian economy, a martian tourism industry should not be considered as a meaningful source of income with which to cover the costs of imports.

Martian Space Tourism Citations

[1] Credit Suisse Research Institute Global Wealth Report 2019

[2] Commercial Viability Evaluation of the Suborbital Space Tourism Industry, New Space, 2018 vol 7, #2, 2019.

[3] The Apollo Program (1963 – 1972), https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo.html

[4] NASA Ames Research Center Trajectory Browser, https://trajbrowser.arc.nasa.gov/traj_browser.php

[5] de Bloom, J., Geurts, S.A.E. & Kompier, M.A.J. Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep. J Happiness Stud 14, 613–633 (2013), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3

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This Tourism Ad for Mars Wraps With a Bleak Jolt of Reality

On Feb. 18, NASA's Perseverance Rover landed on Mars… and immediately began tweeting about it , which made us wonder whether robots deserve to inherit the Earth after all. (We're kidding. Obviously a human team is doing the tweets; Perseverance doesn't care. It's busy off-roading, taking cool pics and collecting rocks to send back home. Vacationing, basically.)

Perseverance's arrival, after seven months of travel, makes the race to put people on Mars feel more urgent. It's not just a NASA or SpaceX ambition; China and the United Arab Emirates are also eyeing the Red Planet. And nobody seems interested in a quickie round-trip, like the Moon landing. Most everybody wants to start a colony there.

A lot of us have complicated feelings about this. It doesn't help that Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX, is planning to pack indentured servitude in his colonists' suitcases. Worried you'll miss debt culture when you go? Don't!

Fridays For Future, a climate initiative that launched in 2018, takes a shot at embodying those feelings with "1%," a satirical Mars tourism ad.

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Created by Fred & Farid Los Angeles, the ad begins with an aspirational voiceover: "After more than 5 million years of human existence on Earth, it's time for a change. Mars: 56 million square miles of untouched land, breathtaking landscapes and incredible views." You have to look at it from a certain angle—the opposite of Elon's, really—to feel the irony in its premise. 

It ends with a forbidding statement: "And for the 99 percent who will stay on Earth ... we'd better fix climate change."

Ah, the catch: All these promises of adventure, and escape from our existential woes, will likely be reserved for the few who can afford it. (Unless you're into the whole indentured servitude thing ... and hey, if you've still got school loans, what's a couple million more before you die?)

"We wanted to highlight pure nonsense," said Fridays for Future. "Government-funded space programs and the world's ultra-wealthy 1 percent are laser focused on Mars … and yet most humans will never get a chance to visit or live on Mars. This is not due to a lack of resources, but the fact that our global systems don't care about us and refuse to take equitable action."

To drive that point home, the organization points out that NASA's Perseverance Rover cost $2.7 billion for development, launch, operations and analysis. While we're hard-pressed to begrudge NASA a budget at the worst of times, it's hard to look at that figure and think about the fact that we still haven't figured out recycling.

The ad went live on Feb. 18, the day Perseverance landed on Mars. Contrast this date with another one, just a smidge down the road: Elon Musk is "highly confident" that SpaceX will get people there by 2026. (Though if that projection is anything like his Tesla ones, feel free to add 5-10 years to that with confidence.)

This marks Fred & Farid LA's third collaboration with Fridays For Future. It follows "House on Fire" and "If You Don't Believe in Global Warming, How About Local Warming?" The hope, in this case, is that some bleak sci-fi will finally be what motivates people to action.

Tell that to Greta Thunberg.

On the other hand, if you'd like some actual sci-fi with a spin on what happens to everybody on Earth when all the Well-Heeled People leave, we recommend N.K. Jemisin's Emergency Skin. (Bonus points: Buy it at a Black-owned bookstore. Thanks to Oprah, you can find one by state .) It's short and surprisingly optimistic—so optimistic that we actually worry the most exploitative wealthyfolk will instead choose to stay, which in our minds seems increasingly likely. 

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Paragraph on Tourism

Students are often asked to write a paragraph on Tourism in their schools. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 200-word, and 250-word paragraphs on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

Paragraph on Tourism in 100 Words

Tourism is like taking a fun trip to see new places. People travel to visit mountains, beaches, and famous buildings. They learn about different foods, music, and games from around the world. When we go on these trips, we can make new friends and see animals like elephants or dolphins that we don’t have at home. Some people take pictures or buy toys to remember their trip. It’s important to take care of the places we visit by not leaving trash behind. Tourism lets us enjoy and learn about our beautiful world and all the different people and things in it.

Paragraph on Tourism in 200 Words

Tourism is when people go to different places for fun or to learn about them. Imagine visiting a beach with golden sand and playing in the waves, or going to a big city where tall buildings touch the sky. People can also go see mountains, where they might watch birds or find cool rocks. Sometimes, they visit places that are important in history, like old castles or museums with dinosaur bones. When people travel, they can try new foods that they don’t have at home, like a sweet fruit from a faraway island or a spicy dish from another country. They take pictures, buy souvenirs like little toys or postcards, and make memories that last forever. Tourism is good for the places people visit because it helps the people there earn money. This money can help build schools, hospitals, and parks. But it’s important to take care of the places we visit by not littering and being kind to the animals and plants we see. Tourism helps us learn about the world and the different people in it, and it teaches us that even though we live in different places, we all share the same big, beautiful world.

Also check:

• Essay on Tourism
• Speech on Tourism

Paragraph on Tourism in 250 Words

Tourism is when people go to different places for fun, to see new things, or to learn about other cultures. It’s like taking a break from your everyday life to explore the world. Imagine visiting a sunny beach, walking through a museum full of old and interesting things, or hiking up a tall mountain to see a breathtaking view. People who work in tourism help make these trips enjoyable and safe. They include everyone from the pilot who flies the plane to the guide who tells you about the history of a castle. Tourism is important because it helps places earn money and create jobs. When tourists come, they spend money on hotels, food, and fun activities. This money can help build schools, parks, and hospitals for the people who live there. It can also help take care of nature and old buildings. But sometimes, too many visitors can harm the places they visit. It can make it too crowded and hurt the environment. That’s why it’s important to travel in a way that’s good for the places we visit. This means not leaving trash, being nice to the local people, and trying not to disturb the animals. Tourism can teach us a lot and help us become friends with people from all over the world. It shows us that even though we live in different places and might do things differently, we can all enjoy the beauty of our planet together.

That’s it! I hope the paragraphs have helped you.

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Elektrostal

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