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Narrator:
NASA has set its sights on Mars.
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Its goal is to send humans
to the red planet
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in the next 20 years.
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Looking up at Mars in the sky,
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I really do feel like
I'm looking at a place
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that someday there will
be people walking around on it.
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It feels so much like earth
in so many ways,
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and it's a place that really
captures my imagination
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as a result.
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Oluseyi: It's the most
earthlike environment
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we see in our solar system.
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So we're not going
to leave it alone.
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We're going to try to do this.
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Narrator: But conquering
our planetary neighbor
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is a tougher challenge
than we ever thought possible.
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It's an isolated environment
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where a million things
can go wrong,
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where there's absolutely
no hope of rescue.
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Stricker:
There are so many hurdles to overcome
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for human exploration of Mars,
and it makes it quite difficult.
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Sure, we can get there, but are
we going to be in one piece?
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Sometimes it feels like Mars
is designed to keep us away.
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Narrator: Are we doomed to fail
in this endeavor?
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-- Captions by vitac --
www.vitac.com
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captions paid for by
discovery communications
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?
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The red planet --
earth's neighbor
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and the destination of NASA's
most ambitious mission to date.
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But this expedition
will be harder
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than we ever thought possible.
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It hurts to think
of how hard it is.
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It's the farthest a human being
has ever been from the earth.
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We got to take
every precaution
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narrator: As NASA's astronauts
arrive at Mars,
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they'll face a huge obstacle.
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Landing on the planet
is a daunting task.
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In the past, Mars hasn't always
rolled out the welcome mat.
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Lanza: Mars is kind of like
a graveyard for spacecraft.
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It's actually really hard
to send something from earth
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and land it on Mars.
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Narrator: This is how
the European space agency
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hoped its $250 million
schiaparelli lander
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would touch down in 2016...
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...but the lander's systems
got it wrong.
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The parachute detached early,
sending the craft into free fall
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for 33 seconds.
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Schiaparelli smashed
into the surface
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at 335 miles an hour,
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leaving a deep, black scar
on the martian landscape.
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Thaller: It turns out that Mars
is actually
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a particularly difficult planet
to land on.
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Even humanity's most
brilliant engineers,
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we've got about
a 50% success rate
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when it comes
to landing on Mars.
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Narrator:
The red planet is littered with dead spacecraft
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that didn't stick the landing.
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And for NASA's first
crewed descent to Mars,
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the space agency must learn
from these mistakes.
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But as the crew hurdles
toward the surface
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they're battling
the same problem
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as all the landers
that failed before.
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The martian atmosphere
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is 100 times thinner
than earth's
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so it can't provide
the drag needed
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to slow a spacecraft down.
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So it's not like the earth,
where you can have
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these big, giant parachutes
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that gently glide you down
to the surface.
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You can use some of the air,
but it's hard.
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Narrator: The red planet's
thin atmosphere
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is a problem that's been
billions of years in the making.
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Stricker: Mars doesn't have
a large atmosphere
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because it's constantly
being peeled away
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due to the lack of protection
of a magnetic field.
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Narrator: The solar wind
can strip away an atmosphere.
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On earth, a liquid metal core
creates a magnetic field
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which shields the planet and
helps maintain the atmosphere.
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Mars is different.
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4.5 billion years ago,
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Mars and earth formed from dust
and gas in space.
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Mars forms where
building materials were scarce.
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Its growth was stunted.
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So Mars is much smaller
than the earth.
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It's a factor of 10 smaller
than the earth,
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and that factor of 10 in mass
is important.
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All of that extra mass
allows the inside of the earth
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to stay warm and to have a core
that's rotating,
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which generates
a magnetic field.
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Narrator: 4 billion years ago,
the churning heart of Mars
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started to cool
and solidify.
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With no hot core, there's no
magnetic field being generated.
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All of the high-velocity charged
particles coming from the sun
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pick away at the atmosphere
and slowly tear it away.
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We know it's losing atmosphere
every second
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due to the solar wind.
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So, you know,
bye-bye atmosphere.
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?
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Narrator: With little martian
atmosphere to work with,
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NASA had to be creative
to get its crewless landers
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to the martian surface.
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?
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In 2012,
the revolutionary sky crane
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landed the curiosity rover using
parachutes and retro rockets.
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Previous missions have used
both a parachute
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and something else
like a bouncy ball
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inflated around the spacecraft.
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?
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I don't think a human crew
is going to be too pleased
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if they're gonna be bouncing
onto the surface
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in an airbag,
rolling to a stop, right?
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Narrator:
To land people on Mars, NASA will need some new tricks.
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The 2020 rover will overcome
the challenge with the advanced
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supersonic parachute inflation
research experiment,
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a.s.p.i.r.e.
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It will rapidly
slow down the craft
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with the force
of an airplane jet engine.
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This is fine for the rover.
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It's actually gonna work
no problem.
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But it's not going to work
for people.
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Narrator: A human lander
will weigh far more
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than the 2,300-pound rover.
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Not even supersonic parachutes
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could land a crew
safely on Mars.
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NASA will need a new plan.
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One idea is to use
the thin martian atmosphere
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in a unique way.
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There's an idea of coming
in really fast,
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getting to the thick part
of the atmosphere,
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and then going horizontal
to the ground
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and gliding and losing
your momentum that way.
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Narrator:
As the astronauts descend,
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they tilt the nose of the lander
towards the martian surface
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aiming for the thickest part
of the atmosphere
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close to the ground.
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Then they pull up
at the last second
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using friction from the
atmosphere to slow the craft.
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Descent engines switch on
for the final touchdown.
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?
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Radebaugh:
Is this a crazy idea?
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I mean, yeah,
it's a little bit weird.
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I don't know if we'd really
think about it,
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doing something like this,
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but, I mean, you've got to think
outside the box sometimes.
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Narrator:
Right now, NASA's plans for landing a craft on Mars
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are still on the drawing board.
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But even if they can
get astronauts onto the surface,
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the thin atmosphere
isn't done with them yet.
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It causes swirling
dust storms
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that cover
the planet's entire surface.
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Oluseyi: Mars doesn't just have
dust devils.
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It has dust hell.
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Narrator:
And these towering clouds have killed before.
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Learn Thai more flexible & enjoyable
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?
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Narrator:
If NASA's astronauts arrive on Mars as planned, in 2035,
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the settlers will find
one of the red planet's
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biggest challenges is its dust.
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It's sticky,
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basically,
light from the sun
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can give the stuff
a static charge
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and then it clings to stuff.
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So it's not just a matter
of, like, you know,
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standing on a doormat
outside your your space habitat
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and shaking yourself off.
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Durda: It's gonna get
in your space suit.
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It's gonna coat your visor.
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It's going to cover
your solar panels.
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Plait:
If you get it in your lungs, it's not a good thing.
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We have to figure out how to
clear this stuff out.
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Man: 300 feet.
[ Speaks indistinctly ]
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Narrator:
Through the '60s and '70s,
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Apollo astronauts
walked on the moon.
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When they returned
to their landing module,
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they brought moon dust back
with them.
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The lunar dust clogged seals,
caused equipment to overheat,
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and resulted
in false instrument readings.
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It even made
the astronauts sick.
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You don't want to be breathing
in fine, dusty material
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by itself, you can get things
like silicosis.
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It's, you know,
almost basically a lung cancer
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that you can get just
from breathing the dust itself.
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You don't want to do that.
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Narrator:
The red planet is covered in sticky dust,
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and new research suggests
it all came from one place...
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...the medusae fossae formation.
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When the 600-mile-long
volcanic deposit formed
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3 billion years ago,
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it was around half the size
of the United States,
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but the martian winds
have eroded this structure
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and spread the dust
across the entire planet.
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When the wind whips
up this dust,
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it can have
disastrous consequences.
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Lanza:
The real problem is just that all these fine particles
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get lofted into the atmosphere,
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and it takes a really long time
for them to settle back out.
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And what the dust does
is it just gets up in the sky
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and it sits there
and sits there and sits there.
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Narrator:
As more material gets lifted into the atmosphere,
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it forms huge dust storms.
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The storms are so large
they block out the sunlight
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and cool the martian surface...
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...creating
a temperature difference
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between the ground
and atmosphere
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that causes winds to increase
and the storms to grow.
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And NASA's opportunity
rover knows firsthand
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the dangers of being
trapped in one.
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Opportunity was a NASA rover
sent to Mars
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to hunt for signs of past water
on the surface
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and potentially signs
of past life.
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Lanza:
This is a rover that we really worked with so long,
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knew so well,
and who had come up with
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so many amazing new results
from Mars.
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Narrator: June 2018.
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Opportunity was
15 years into its mission...
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...when giant clouds of dust
appeared on the horizon.
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NASA could only watch
as the storm grew and grew.
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Once this dust storm coated
the entire planet,
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it blocked the sun.
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And the sun was the source
of opportunity's power.
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00:12:40,060 --> 00:12:42,527
Opportunity works
using solar panels,
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and so it gradually got less
and less and less electricity.
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Narrator: For opportunity,
there was no escape.
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Lost in the darkness,
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opportunity's power reserves
slowly ran dry.
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The rover fell silent.
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00:13:02,215 --> 00:13:04,749
We thought, well, maybe
once the dust storm clears up
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00:13:04,751 --> 00:13:07,485
the panels can fire up again
and we can get it back,
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but it just never woke up.
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Narrator: If NASA's astronauts
do make it to Mars,
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the storms could damage more
than the crew's power supply.
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[ Thunder crashes ]
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When the storms begin to blow,
they crackle with electricity.
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Just like you can create
a static charge
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00:13:28,775 --> 00:13:30,175
by rubbing your foot
on the carpet
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or a balloon on your hair,
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00:13:32,112 --> 00:13:36,514
this happens at large scale
in these dust storms on Mars.
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00:13:36,516 --> 00:13:38,516
The sand grains rub up
against each other,
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and that creates
a static charge.
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00:13:40,787 --> 00:13:44,856
So you get these electrical
flows that occur.
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Durda:
Here on earth, we see this in volcanic eruptions
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as the dust,
the ash burbling out
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of one of these huge eruptions.
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00:13:51,231 --> 00:13:54,232
You'll see lightning discharges
in those volcanic plumes
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from this same
charge transfer.
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00:13:57,103 --> 00:13:59,470
Stricker:
If you're in a place with a lot of electrostatic discharge,
246
00:13:59,472 --> 00:14:01,339
that means sparks
are going to fly,
247
00:14:01,341 --> 00:14:05,777
which is really terrible
for operating instruments.
248
00:14:05,779 --> 00:14:07,478
Narrator: To survive on Mars,
249
00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:12,483
the settlers are going to need
a protective shelter.
250
00:14:12,485 --> 00:14:15,820
The keyword to living
on Mars is protection --
251
00:14:15,822 --> 00:14:17,755
protection from the cold,
252
00:14:17,757 --> 00:14:19,557
protection from the lack
of atmosphere,
253
00:14:19,559 --> 00:14:22,293
protection from the radiation
from space.
254
00:14:25,298 --> 00:14:27,432
Narrator:
NASA could build shelters,
255
00:14:27,434 --> 00:14:32,370
but martian history
offers them a shortcut.
256
00:14:32,372 --> 00:14:34,372
Millions of years ago,
257
00:14:34,374 --> 00:14:38,409
the planet's volcanoes
erupted huge amounts of lava.
258
00:14:42,716 --> 00:14:44,148
Radebaugh:
But the silver lining is that,
259
00:14:44,150 --> 00:14:46,351
as the lava was flowing away,
260
00:14:46,353 --> 00:14:49,020
it did that
through underground tubes.
261
00:14:49,022 --> 00:14:50,622
And then as the lava
evacuated away,
262
00:14:50,624 --> 00:14:52,557
it left behind empty caverns,
263
00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:54,292
just like this really
big lava tube
264
00:14:54,294 --> 00:14:57,295
that we're standing in
right now.
265
00:14:57,297 --> 00:15:00,665
Narrator:
Martian gravity is a third as strong as earth's
266
00:15:00,667 --> 00:15:04,135
thanks to the red planet's
lower mass.
267
00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:06,671
So when martian lava flows
underground,
268
00:15:06,673 --> 00:15:08,239
it meets less resistance
269
00:15:08,241 --> 00:15:11,609
and can carve out
monstrous cave systems,
270
00:15:11,611 --> 00:15:14,012
natural astronaut shelters
271
00:15:14,014 --> 00:15:17,115
hidden away
from the dust storms.
272
00:15:17,117 --> 00:15:20,451
If you actually then seal them,
you can fill them with air.
273
00:15:20,453 --> 00:15:23,054
You've got
a great place to live.
274
00:15:23,056 --> 00:15:26,858
These tunnels are ready-made
for people to move into.
275
00:15:26,860 --> 00:15:29,994
We already have the keys.
276
00:15:29,996 --> 00:15:33,364
Narrator:
But a lava tube may not be everyone's idea
277
00:15:33,366 --> 00:15:35,667
of home sweet home.
278
00:15:35,669 --> 00:15:38,169
Because they're
a natural feature,
279
00:15:38,171 --> 00:15:39,904
you can't pick and choose
where they are.
280
00:15:39,906 --> 00:15:42,573
You have to go
to where they already exist.
281
00:15:45,545 --> 00:15:47,211
Narrator:
Building their own shelters
282
00:15:47,213 --> 00:15:50,748
gives the astronauts
more choices,
283
00:15:50,750 --> 00:15:53,484
and they can be built
by robots
284
00:15:53,486 --> 00:15:57,121
before the settlers even arrive.
285
00:15:57,123 --> 00:15:59,891
Plait: And we could even send
3-d printers.
286
00:15:59,893 --> 00:16:02,727
I'm talking about something that
actually uses the rock there
287
00:16:02,729 --> 00:16:04,696
and makes something
like concrete,
288
00:16:04,698 --> 00:16:07,999
and it could build structures
for us to live in.
289
00:16:08,001 --> 00:16:10,668
Narrator: Even with shelters,
the settlers will still need
290
00:16:10,670 --> 00:16:14,005
to eat, breathe, and drink.
291
00:16:14,007 --> 00:16:17,475
But there is no food,
no breathable oxygen,
292
00:16:17,477 --> 00:16:20,244
and no liquid water on Mars.
293
00:16:20,246 --> 00:16:23,214
So even though Mars is the
closest friendly environment
294
00:16:23,216 --> 00:16:24,882
to life that there is
to the earth,
295
00:16:24,884 --> 00:16:26,985
it's really not
all that friendly.
296
00:16:26,987 --> 00:16:30,321
Narrator: Without easy access
to the essentials of life,
297
00:16:30,323 --> 00:16:33,624
will settling on Mars
be possible?
298
00:16:44,637 --> 00:16:48,506
?
299
00:16:48,508 --> 00:16:51,309
Narrator: Humans have evolved
to life on earth.
300
00:16:53,947 --> 00:16:58,950
We have oxygen to breathe, water
to drink, and food to eat --
301
00:16:58,952 --> 00:17:01,252
everything we need to survive.
302
00:17:04,657 --> 00:17:06,157
Compared to earth,
303
00:17:06,159 --> 00:17:10,194
life on Mars
is a recipe for disaster.
304
00:17:10,196 --> 00:17:13,197
If you look at it as a human
being who wants to live there,
305
00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:14,799
yeah,
this is an alien world
306
00:17:14,801 --> 00:17:17,435
that's going to try to kill you
at every step.
307
00:17:17,437 --> 00:17:19,370
Stricker:
It's far away. It's cold.
308
00:17:19,372 --> 00:17:21,005
There are just
so many reasons why
309
00:17:21,007 --> 00:17:23,975
we really wouldn't be
happy campers on Mars.
310
00:17:23,977 --> 00:17:25,209
So why on earth
are we talking
311
00:17:25,211 --> 00:17:27,578
about sending people there?
312
00:17:27,580 --> 00:17:31,049
Well, the next closest planet,
Venus, it's way worse.
313
00:17:31,051 --> 00:17:33,451
Its surface is super hot.
314
00:17:33,453 --> 00:17:36,287
It's got horrible chemicals
in the atmosphere.
315
00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:37,488
So in comparison,
316
00:17:37,490 --> 00:17:39,724
Mars looks like
a great, great place to visit.
317
00:17:39,726 --> 00:17:42,794
It's close,
it's relatively earthlike,
318
00:17:42,796 --> 00:17:44,829
and although
there are many challenges
319
00:17:44,831 --> 00:17:48,199
they're challenges
that we could overcome.
320
00:17:48,201 --> 00:17:49,500
Narrator: To settle on Mars,
321
00:17:49,502 --> 00:17:53,404
NASA's astronauts
need a few essentials.
322
00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:56,474
If we want to live there,
short term or long term,
323
00:17:56,476 --> 00:17:58,042
you know,
what do you need physically?
324
00:17:58,044 --> 00:18:02,814
Well, you need air.
You need water. You need food.
325
00:18:02,816 --> 00:18:05,683
Those are all things
that we can bring with us,
326
00:18:05,685 --> 00:18:11,622
but it's a lot easier
if they exist there on Mars.
327
00:18:11,624 --> 00:18:14,425
Narrator: The settlers will need
to grow their own food,
328
00:18:14,427 --> 00:18:19,163
but the martian ground
is poisonous.
329
00:18:19,165 --> 00:18:20,865
Mars' dust
looks really benign.
330
00:18:20,867 --> 00:18:23,468
It looks kind of like dust
you would find in Southern Utah.
331
00:18:23,470 --> 00:18:24,969
But it turns out it contains
332
00:18:24,971 --> 00:18:27,271
a lot of something
called perchlorate,
333
00:18:27,273 --> 00:18:30,308
and these materials
are really toxic to human life.
334
00:18:30,310 --> 00:18:32,543
[ Thunder crashing ]
335
00:18:32,545 --> 00:18:36,080
Narrator:
Perchlorates are chemicals formed by electricity
336
00:18:36,082 --> 00:18:39,016
produced in martian dust storms.
337
00:18:39,018 --> 00:18:43,921
And they make up about
1% of the martian soil
338
00:18:43,923 --> 00:18:45,590
which doesn't sound like much,
339
00:18:45,592 --> 00:18:48,092
but this could be
a significant problem
340
00:18:48,094 --> 00:18:51,929
for any humans living on
the surface of the red planet.
341
00:18:51,931 --> 00:18:56,234
Narrator:
Food grown in the martian dirt will absorb the perchlorates,
342
00:18:56,236 --> 00:19:00,471
posing a health hazard
for the astronauts.
343
00:19:00,473 --> 00:19:02,773
But that's not all.
344
00:19:02,775 --> 00:19:05,510
Direct exposure
to the toxic soil
345
00:19:05,512 --> 00:19:07,979
will make astronauts
very sick.
346
00:19:10,416 --> 00:19:11,849
One of the effects
that perchlorates
347
00:19:11,851 --> 00:19:15,887
have biologically in our bodies
is to sort of mess with
348
00:19:15,889 --> 00:19:19,490
and alter the function
of our thyroid glands.
349
00:19:19,492 --> 00:19:23,094
Narrator:
Astronauts would get rashes and feel nauseous.
350
00:19:23,096 --> 00:19:27,932
Extended exposure to the dirt
could even kill them.
351
00:19:27,934 --> 00:19:29,300
And Mars is not
the sort of place
352
00:19:29,302 --> 00:19:32,103
where you would ever want
to get seriously ill,
353
00:19:32,105 --> 00:19:34,305
millions of miles from all
the hospitals
354
00:19:34,307 --> 00:19:36,774
and health care
of the earth.
355
00:19:38,711 --> 00:19:42,613
Narrator: There are ideas of how
to clean the poisonous soil
356
00:19:42,615 --> 00:19:44,749
using water or bacteria,
357
00:19:44,751 --> 00:19:48,186
but the technology
is not yet ready.
358
00:19:48,188 --> 00:19:52,623
The first settlers will need to
find a safer way to grow food,
359
00:19:52,625 --> 00:19:57,395
and NASA has the solution --
hydroponics.
360
00:19:57,397 --> 00:19:59,564
Hydroponics will provide
all the food
361
00:19:59,566 --> 00:20:02,300
a martian settler might need.
362
00:20:02,302 --> 00:20:07,471
Instead of growing in soil,
the settlers grow crops in water
363
00:20:07,473 --> 00:20:10,708
so all you need to do
is bring the seeds or the plants
364
00:20:10,710 --> 00:20:13,711
and then have them grow
right there in water.
365
00:20:13,713 --> 00:20:17,248
But if we decide to grow our
crops hydroponically on Mars,
366
00:20:17,250 --> 00:20:18,482
then we still have this problem
367
00:20:18,484 --> 00:20:22,220
of needing lots
and lots of water.
368
00:20:22,222 --> 00:20:24,655
Narrator: Before astronauts
water their plants,
369
00:20:24,657 --> 00:20:27,558
they'll need water to drink,
370
00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:33,564
and Mars hasn't had running
water for millions of years.
371
00:20:33,566 --> 00:20:34,966
We've all seen the movies
of people
372
00:20:34,968 --> 00:20:37,235
stranded in different places
and having to survive
373
00:20:37,237 --> 00:20:39,403
and they can last
for months without food.
374
00:20:39,405 --> 00:20:42,940
But a human cannot last
beyond three days without water.
375
00:20:47,547 --> 00:20:50,281
Narrator: Astronauts on
the international space station
376
00:20:50,283 --> 00:20:57,421
recycle water from bathing,
breath, urine, and sweat,
377
00:20:57,423 --> 00:21:01,926
but they still need
1,500 gallons sent up each year.
378
00:21:01,928 --> 00:21:04,762
Each delivery weighs
over six tons.
379
00:21:07,133 --> 00:21:09,233
Transporting water to Mars
380
00:21:09,235 --> 00:21:12,303
will add a lot of weight
to the manifest.
381
00:21:12,305 --> 00:21:14,672
You have to use fuel
to launch it
382
00:21:14,674 --> 00:21:16,540
but then you also
have to use more fuel
383
00:21:16,542 --> 00:21:18,276
to launch the weight
of the other fuel,
384
00:21:18,278 --> 00:21:20,244
and so on and so on.
385
00:21:20,246 --> 00:21:23,781
You have to keep to
an absolute minimum
386
00:21:23,783 --> 00:21:26,484
the amount of weight
you try to launch from earth.
387
00:21:26,486 --> 00:21:29,987
Narrator:
So if NASA wants to set up residence on Mars,
388
00:21:29,989 --> 00:21:34,125
astronauts will need to find
a water source.
389
00:21:34,127 --> 00:21:38,029
Even though no liquid water
exists on the planet's surface,
390
00:21:38,031 --> 00:21:41,365
there are other places to look.
391
00:21:41,367 --> 00:21:43,834
It turns out there
is a lot of water on Mars.
392
00:21:43,836 --> 00:21:46,170
It's trapped underneath
the ground beneath the dirt
393
00:21:46,172 --> 00:21:47,905
and the soils at high latitudes.
394
00:21:47,907 --> 00:21:51,676
It's also found in huge volumes
up at the polar ice caps.
395
00:21:54,447 --> 00:21:56,080
Plait: Ice -- you melt,
and it becomes water.
396
00:21:56,082 --> 00:21:57,481
You can drink it.
Yay.
397
00:21:57,483 --> 00:21:59,483
You can grow plants
and do things like that.
398
00:21:59,485 --> 00:22:02,386
In fact, if you were to melt
all of Mars' polar ice,
399
00:22:02,388 --> 00:22:06,957
then you would be able
to cover the globe in water
400
00:22:06,959 --> 00:22:11,429
plait:
So ice is an extremely important thing to have access to.
401
00:22:11,431 --> 00:22:15,299
So if we do go to Mars
to explore and live there,
402
00:22:15,301 --> 00:22:20,404
following the ice
is the way it's going to go.
403
00:22:20,406 --> 00:22:23,274
Narrator:
Even if NASA's astronauts can turn the martian ice
404
00:22:23,276 --> 00:22:28,045
into drinking water,
without another resource,
405
00:22:28,047 --> 00:22:31,882
settlers will be dead
in three minutes --
406
00:22:31,884 --> 00:22:34,785
oxygen to breathe.
407
00:22:34,787 --> 00:22:37,621
There is oxygen on Mars,
but it's not in the air.
408
00:22:37,623 --> 00:22:38,856
You can't breathe it.
409
00:22:38,858 --> 00:22:42,426
It's bound up in the dirt
and combined with iron
410
00:22:42,428 --> 00:22:47,198
to make iron oxide, giving it
its characteristic red color.
411
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,266
And so we need
to bring it with us,
412
00:22:49,268 --> 00:22:50,935
and that's a huge amount
to bring,
413
00:22:50,937 --> 00:22:55,373
or we need to make it at Mars,
and that's really difficult.
414
00:22:55,375 --> 00:22:59,076
Narrator: We can deliver oxygen
to the I.S.S.,
415
00:22:59,078 --> 00:23:01,812
but the trip to Mars is long
416
00:23:01,814 --> 00:23:05,883
so there will be
few supply missions.
417
00:23:05,885 --> 00:23:08,085
Once you're on Mars,
you can't pull out your app
418
00:23:08,087 --> 00:23:10,821
and order an oxygen delivery
to your door.
419
00:23:10,823 --> 00:23:13,224
You got to take it with you,
and that's a lot of oxygen.
420
00:23:14,961 --> 00:23:17,061
Narrator:
NASA astronauts will need a way
421
00:23:17,063 --> 00:23:19,830
to make oxygen
on the red planet,
422
00:23:19,832 --> 00:23:22,933
and the space agency
is working on a solution.
423
00:23:26,406 --> 00:23:30,241
When their 2020 rover arrives
on Mars, it will carry out
424
00:23:30,243 --> 00:23:35,513
the Mars oxygen in-situ resource
utilization experiment,
425
00:23:35,515 --> 00:23:38,282
or m.O.X.I.E.
426
00:23:38,284 --> 00:23:42,686
M.o.x.i.e. Will take carbon
dioxide from the martian air.
427
00:23:42,688 --> 00:23:47,858
And use electricity to split
that co2 and release oxygen
428
00:23:47,860 --> 00:23:51,262
that astronauts could breathe
in the future.
429
00:23:51,264 --> 00:23:54,665
Narrator:
This test will create oxygen on another planet
430
00:23:54,667 --> 00:23:56,300
for the first time,
431
00:23:56,302 --> 00:24:00,604
but m.O.X.I.E. Can't make enough
for a crewed mission to Mars.
432
00:24:00,606 --> 00:24:02,039
M.o.x.i.e.
Will be able to make
433
00:24:02,041 --> 00:24:06,610
about half a pound
of oxygen per day,
434
00:24:06,612 --> 00:24:11,549
which is only enough to keep a
human alive for about six hours.
435
00:24:11,551 --> 00:24:15,352
Narrator:
NASA needs to significantly scale up the technology
436
00:24:15,354 --> 00:24:19,323
to support a whole crew on Mars.
437
00:24:19,325 --> 00:24:24,562
But even if the astronauts
can survive on the red planet,
438
00:24:24,564 --> 00:24:27,832
can they actually reach it?
439
00:24:27,834 --> 00:24:31,535
Radebaugh:
This is a long trip in a bathtub with three other people.
440
00:24:31,537 --> 00:24:33,237
It's really challenging.
441
00:24:33,239 --> 00:24:35,039
I think we're still
asking ourselves this question,
442
00:24:35,041 --> 00:24:36,273
how will we do it?
443
00:24:50,189 --> 00:24:53,324
?
444
00:24:53,326 --> 00:24:57,995
Narrator:
NASA plans to put boots on Mars.
445
00:24:57,997 --> 00:25:01,999
To achieve this, you need
to carry a lot of stuff.
446
00:25:03,636 --> 00:25:06,337
Sutter: You need oxygen,
you need medical supplies,
447
00:25:06,339 --> 00:25:08,239
you need food,
you need stores of water,
448
00:25:08,241 --> 00:25:11,208
you need some fuel
if you want to come back,
449
00:25:11,210 --> 00:25:16,547
and all this has to be packed
into an incredibly tiny volume.
450
00:25:18,351 --> 00:25:21,252
Narrator:
NASA's solution -- Orion,
451
00:25:21,254 --> 00:25:27,024
a 28-ton spacecraft nearly twice
the mass of a school bus.
452
00:25:27,026 --> 00:25:29,159
The rocket that launches Orion
453
00:25:29,161 --> 00:25:33,931
will need to produce
millions of pounds of thrust,
454
00:25:33,933 --> 00:25:36,066
and that is a problem.
455
00:25:36,068 --> 00:25:37,801
If we decided tomorrow, like,
456
00:25:37,803 --> 00:25:40,571
"hey, you know what?
Let's go to Mars."
457
00:25:40,573 --> 00:25:41,839
We can't.
458
00:25:41,841 --> 00:25:43,707
We don't have powerful-enough
rockets to do it.
459
00:25:45,778 --> 00:25:49,446
Narrator: In 1969,
NASA's saturn v rocket
460
00:25:49,448 --> 00:25:52,049
fired Apollo astronauts
to the moon
461
00:25:52,051 --> 00:25:55,486
with 7.6 million pounds
of thrust.
462
00:25:55,488 --> 00:25:59,590
That's the power of more
than 34 jumbo jets.
463
00:25:59,592 --> 00:26:03,794
A saturn v could have sent
astronauts to Mars.
464
00:26:03,796 --> 00:26:07,431
Not anymore.
We stopped making them.
465
00:26:07,433 --> 00:26:09,867
Narrator: To break free
from earth's gravity,
466
00:26:09,869 --> 00:26:14,071
the space rocket must travel
at 25,000 miles an hour.
467
00:26:15,308 --> 00:26:16,640
To achieve that,
468
00:26:16,642 --> 00:26:20,711
NASA is building the most
powerful rocket in the world.
469
00:26:20,713 --> 00:26:23,280
The space launch system,
or s.L.S., is the rocket
470
00:26:23,282 --> 00:26:26,183
that's being designed
to carry Orion off of earth
471
00:26:26,185 --> 00:26:28,218
and beyond low earth orbit.
472
00:26:28,220 --> 00:26:31,388
Sutter:
And the philosophy is, "hey, remember those big rockets
473
00:26:31,390 --> 00:26:33,857
that we used to make back
in the '60s and stuff?
474
00:26:33,859 --> 00:26:36,894
Let's do that again
but more so."
475
00:26:39,231 --> 00:26:40,397
Radebaugh: It's really big.
476
00:26:40,399 --> 00:26:42,166
It's larger than
the saturn v rocket
477
00:26:42,168 --> 00:26:44,702
that was built to carry
the Apollo spacecraft
478
00:26:44,704 --> 00:26:49,006
and is therefore going to be
the largest rocket built.
479
00:26:49,008 --> 00:26:51,542
Narrator:
The space launch system will be taller
480
00:26:51,544 --> 00:26:53,243
than the statue of Liberty.
481
00:26:53,245 --> 00:26:56,046
Its gargantuan engines
will thrust the rocket
482
00:26:56,048 --> 00:26:57,715
through the atmosphere
483
00:26:57,717 --> 00:27:01,685
with the horsepower
of 160,000 corvettes,
484
00:27:01,687 --> 00:27:05,990
producing 8.8 million pounds
of thrust.
485
00:27:05,992 --> 00:27:11,128
The s.L.S. Will be able to blast
the Orion capsule into space
486
00:27:11,130 --> 00:27:14,264
and send it on its way to Mars.
487
00:27:17,136 --> 00:27:21,171
Unfortunately, the rocket
has fallen behind schedule.
488
00:27:21,173 --> 00:27:26,010
Its maiden test flight was set
for December of 2017.
489
00:27:26,012 --> 00:27:30,714
Now it's scheduled
for the end of 2020.
490
00:27:30,716 --> 00:27:34,551
Critics see the s.L.S.
As a waste of money,
491
00:27:34,553 --> 00:27:38,689
with the project reported to be
billions of dollars over budget.
492
00:27:41,460 --> 00:27:44,428
It's still hoped
NASA's space-launch system
493
00:27:44,430 --> 00:27:49,400
will go to Mars
in the 2030s.
494
00:27:49,402 --> 00:27:52,436
But even though the red planet
is our neighbor,
495
00:27:52,438 --> 00:27:56,607
the timing of our visit
will be complicated.
496
00:27:56,609 --> 00:27:58,208
Plait: If you're planning
a family vacation
497
00:27:58,210 --> 00:28:00,277
and you want to get in the car,
it's easy, right?
498
00:28:00,279 --> 00:28:02,646
You look at a map
and you say I live in city "a"
499
00:28:02,648 --> 00:28:03,847
and I want to go to city "b"
500
00:28:03,849 --> 00:28:05,883
and I'll just take
the highways there."
501
00:28:05,885 --> 00:28:07,017
Well, great.
502
00:28:07,019 --> 00:28:09,486
Now imagine that city "a"
is moving this way
503
00:28:09,488 --> 00:28:10,854
at 50 miles per hour,
504
00:28:10,856 --> 00:28:13,791
and this city is moving this way
at 200 miles per hour.
505
00:28:13,793 --> 00:28:14,925
Now what do you do?
506
00:28:14,927 --> 00:28:17,227
Well, that is a very
small problem
507
00:28:17,229 --> 00:28:19,730
compared to getting
to another planet.
508
00:28:19,732 --> 00:28:21,398
The timeline
of a Mars mission,
509
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:22,666
the scheduling,
if you will,
510
00:28:22,668 --> 00:28:24,368
is all governed
by celestial mechanics,
511
00:28:24,370 --> 00:28:25,569
the orbits of the planets.
512
00:28:25,571 --> 00:28:27,971
It's not just
you pick a time to go to Mars
513
00:28:27,973 --> 00:28:29,940
randomly
whenever you feel like going.
514
00:28:29,942 --> 00:28:31,075
You've literally got to wait
515
00:28:31,077 --> 00:28:33,911
for the planets
to be aligned, right?
516
00:28:33,913 --> 00:28:36,246
Thaller:
On average, the distance from the earth to Mars
517
00:28:36,248 --> 00:28:38,615
is about 140 million miles.
518
00:28:38,617 --> 00:28:40,117
But this is changing
all the time
519
00:28:40,119 --> 00:28:42,653
because we are both plants
that are orbiting the sun.
520
00:28:42,655 --> 00:28:45,723
So about the closest
that earth ever comes to Mars
521
00:28:45,725 --> 00:28:48,559
is a distance of about
35 million miles.
522
00:28:51,997 --> 00:28:54,498
Durda: But on other times
when we're on the opposite side
523
00:28:54,500 --> 00:28:55,766
of the sun from Mars,
524
00:28:55,768 --> 00:28:59,002
it can be as much
as 250 million miles.
525
00:28:59,004 --> 00:29:00,204
Narrator:
Launching near the time
526
00:29:00,206 --> 00:29:05,409
of Mars' closest approach
shortens the journey
527
00:29:05,411 --> 00:29:08,746
so NASA can save on fuel
and resources,
528
00:29:08,748 --> 00:29:12,683
boosting the mission's
chances of success,
529
00:29:12,685 --> 00:29:18,555
but this planetary alignment
only happens every 26 months.
530
00:29:18,557 --> 00:29:21,725
So if NASA misses
a launch window,
531
00:29:21,727 --> 00:29:25,429
it'll have to wait over
two years for another go.
532
00:29:25,431 --> 00:29:28,766
But simply picking
the right time isn't enough.
533
00:29:32,338 --> 00:29:35,873
Mars and the earth
are both orbiting the sun.
534
00:29:35,875 --> 00:29:40,844
So Orion can't fly
in a straight line to Mars.
535
00:29:40,846 --> 00:29:45,949
Instead, it'll use what's known
as a hohmann transfer.
536
00:29:45,951 --> 00:29:49,686
What we want to do is sort of
put ourselves on our spacecraft
537
00:29:49,688 --> 00:29:51,421
in orbit around the sun
538
00:29:51,423 --> 00:29:54,124
so we might start right here
on earth,
539
00:29:54,126 --> 00:29:55,826
launch our spacecraft,
540
00:29:55,828 --> 00:29:59,797
and, essentially,
we just make a nice, gentle arc
541
00:29:59,799 --> 00:30:02,199
that's arcing around the sun
542
00:30:02,201 --> 00:30:05,002
so that it can naturally slide
into this orbit
543
00:30:05,004 --> 00:30:07,504
and then end up on Mars.
544
00:30:07,506 --> 00:30:11,141
Narrator: The journey will take
around 10 months.
545
00:30:11,143 --> 00:30:14,144
To get there quicker means
burning more fuel,
546
00:30:14,146 --> 00:30:16,446
which is not an option.
547
00:30:16,448 --> 00:30:20,083
The hohmann transfer
keeps fuel usage low
548
00:30:20,085 --> 00:30:22,152
by putting the craft
in an orbit
549
00:30:22,154 --> 00:30:25,823
that gradually intersects
with the orbit of Mars
550
00:30:25,825 --> 00:30:29,326
before being captured
by the red planet's gravity.
551
00:30:31,030 --> 00:30:34,865
But the crew will need to get
their direction just right.
552
00:30:34,867 --> 00:30:36,800
Durda:
The way the orbits work,
553
00:30:36,802 --> 00:30:39,303
you've got to aim a little
bit different direction
554
00:30:39,305 --> 00:30:41,538
from where Mars appears
to be now.
555
00:30:41,540 --> 00:30:44,341
You got to aim for where it's
going to be when you get there.
556
00:30:44,343 --> 00:30:46,643
This has to happen so that
it can naturally slide
557
00:30:46,645 --> 00:30:50,113
into this orbit
and then end up on Mars.
558
00:30:50,115 --> 00:30:51,348
If we miss that precision,
559
00:30:51,350 --> 00:30:54,384
then we just could end up
hurtling out into space.
560
00:30:56,655 --> 00:30:59,289
Narrator: Even if NASA hit
their target.
561
00:30:59,291 --> 00:31:03,527
The crew still has a long
10-month journey in space.
562
00:31:04,563 --> 00:31:08,565
The human body is just simply
not designed
563
00:31:08,567 --> 00:31:10,834
for long-duration space travel.
564
00:31:10,836 --> 00:31:13,570
Narrator: Space travel
can destroy bones,
565
00:31:13,572 --> 00:31:17,074
weaken heart muscles,
and even mess with the mind.
566
00:31:18,878 --> 00:31:22,579
Could a cruise survive
the journey to the red planet?
567
00:31:34,093 --> 00:31:37,728
?
568
00:31:37,730 --> 00:31:42,065
Narrator:
NASA plans to put humans on Mars in the 2030s.
569
00:31:44,670 --> 00:31:48,138
Rocket technology will be pushed
to its limits.
570
00:31:50,209 --> 00:31:55,646
But the greatest hurdle
is our own fragile bodies
571
00:31:55,648 --> 00:31:58,916
out there in a spacecraft
between the planets,
572
00:31:58,918 --> 00:32:00,117
all bets are off.
573
00:32:00,119 --> 00:32:04,321
It's going to be
a dangerous trip.
574
00:32:04,323 --> 00:32:07,424
Irwin: Both hands down
to about the fourth rung up.
575
00:32:07,426 --> 00:32:10,327
Narrator:
When astronaut James irwin stood on the moon,
576
00:32:10,329 --> 00:32:12,896
his heart beat irregularly.
577
00:32:15,334 --> 00:32:17,834
Back on earth,
irwin suffered heart attacks,
578
00:32:17,836 --> 00:32:21,171
which eventually proved fatal.
579
00:32:21,173 --> 00:32:24,174
A 2016 study found
that Apollo lunar astronauts
580
00:32:24,176 --> 00:32:27,377
are four to five times
more likely to die
581
00:32:27,379 --> 00:32:29,680
from cardiovascular disease
582
00:32:29,682 --> 00:32:35,252
than astronauts
who never left earth's orbit.
583
00:32:35,254 --> 00:32:39,690
One cause could be
deep-space radiation.
584
00:32:39,692 --> 00:32:41,658
And the radiation
in outer space
585
00:32:41,660 --> 00:32:45,128
won't just be damaging
the heart muscles
586
00:32:45,130 --> 00:32:46,964
but also the nervous system
587
00:32:46,966 --> 00:32:49,866
and astronauts' brains
in outer space.
588
00:32:52,071 --> 00:32:54,938
Narrator:
Astronauts heading to Mars will face radiation
589
00:32:54,940 --> 00:32:58,342
created in the core of stars.
590
00:32:58,344 --> 00:33:02,045
Some comes from our sun
when solar ejections
591
00:33:02,047 --> 00:33:05,282
throw out streams of deadly
charged particles.
592
00:33:05,284 --> 00:33:11,254
?
593
00:33:11,256 --> 00:33:16,159
There are also cosmic rays
from outside the solar system.
594
00:33:16,161 --> 00:33:20,764
Created in supernovas,
the death of giant stars,
595
00:33:20,766 --> 00:33:23,500
these energetic particles
596
00:33:23,502 --> 00:33:27,137
race through the galaxy at
close to the speed of light.
597
00:33:27,139 --> 00:33:29,673
And you don't want to be
exposed to too many of them.
598
00:33:29,675 --> 00:33:32,309
In low doses, it's not a problem
at all, really.
599
00:33:32,311 --> 00:33:35,312
But in high enough doses,
these things penetrate ourselves
600
00:33:35,314 --> 00:33:37,748
and damage our DNA
and over the long term
601
00:33:37,750 --> 00:33:41,952
can cause really bad damage
to human bodies in space.
602
00:33:44,757 --> 00:33:50,627
Narrator:
The longer you stay in space, the greater the danger.
603
00:33:50,629 --> 00:33:52,095
Durda: Remember,
our missions to the moon
604
00:33:52,097 --> 00:33:53,663
were on the order
of a week or two.
605
00:33:53,665 --> 00:33:56,400
A mission to Mars,
at the minimum,
606
00:33:56,402 --> 00:33:58,201
is going to be
something like two
607
00:33:58,203 --> 00:34:00,904
or two-and-a-half years,
probably.
608
00:34:00,906 --> 00:34:07,144
Narrator:
These cosmic bullets can cause mutations and even cancer.
609
00:34:07,146 --> 00:34:11,281
New research from 2019 suggests
space radiation
610
00:34:11,283 --> 00:34:13,183
will cause memory loss
611
00:34:13,185 --> 00:34:17,687
in one to three astronauts
on a mission to Mars.
612
00:34:17,689 --> 00:34:18,889
Darnell:
And it's not just a problem
613
00:34:18,891 --> 00:34:21,024
of forgetting where
you've left your keys.
614
00:34:21,026 --> 00:34:23,627
Trying to come back in through
the airlock, you do not want
615
00:34:23,629 --> 00:34:26,163
to be forgetting
emergency procedures.
616
00:34:26,165 --> 00:34:28,565
So we're going to have
to really consider,
617
00:34:28,567 --> 00:34:30,934
how do we mitigate
the effects of this radiation
618
00:34:30,936 --> 00:34:34,204
to make it possible
for people to go to Mars
619
00:34:34,206 --> 00:34:37,441
and actually spend some time
without being ill?
620
00:34:37,443 --> 00:34:41,745
Narrator: So the ship
needs to protect the astronauts.
621
00:34:41,747 --> 00:34:43,146
Plait: Well, you think,
"well, I would just,
622
00:34:43,148 --> 00:34:45,315
I don't know, build a spaceship
out of really thick lead.
623
00:34:45,317 --> 00:34:47,517
Like, well, that weighs a lot,
and it turns out
624
00:34:47,519 --> 00:34:50,253
lead doesn't protect you
from this kind of radiation.
625
00:34:50,255 --> 00:34:52,289
You need something else.
626
00:34:52,291 --> 00:34:53,723
Well, there is something else
627
00:34:53,725 --> 00:34:55,125
that protects you
from this radiation,
628
00:34:55,127 --> 00:34:56,693
and that's water.
629
00:34:56,695 --> 00:34:58,061
We need to bring lots
and lots of water
630
00:34:58,063 --> 00:34:59,863
to drink and cook with.
631
00:34:59,865 --> 00:35:02,566
And if we just place
that water in a layer
632
00:35:02,568 --> 00:35:06,203
around our spacecraft,
that can absorb the cosmic rays.
633
00:35:06,205 --> 00:35:08,872
You might think, well,
you're drinking the very water
634
00:35:08,874 --> 00:35:12,409
that using to stop the radiation
that's causing damage to us
635
00:35:12,411 --> 00:35:14,344
won't the water be dangerous
to drink it?
636
00:35:14,346 --> 00:35:16,146
It doesn't really work
quite like that.
637
00:35:16,148 --> 00:35:19,616
You're just taking one
high-speed subatomic particle
638
00:35:19,618 --> 00:35:21,351
and changing it into another one
639
00:35:21,353 --> 00:35:22,986
as it gets captured
by the water.
640
00:35:22,988 --> 00:35:24,821
Water's still gonna be safe
to drink, fortunately.
641
00:35:27,025 --> 00:35:30,594
Narrator:
But even if NASA can shield its astronauts from radiation...
642
00:35:32,731 --> 00:35:36,399
...space causes other
health issues.
643
00:35:36,401 --> 00:35:39,736
Your bones are starting
to demineralize.
644
00:35:39,738 --> 00:35:41,071
They're getting weak.
645
00:35:41,073 --> 00:35:44,474
You're getting arthritis
even in the prime of your life.
646
00:35:44,476 --> 00:35:47,043
Narrator: Weightlessness
during a 10-month journey
647
00:35:47,045 --> 00:35:49,679
will thin the astronauts' bones.
648
00:35:49,681 --> 00:35:51,615
Muscles will waste away,
649
00:35:51,617 --> 00:35:55,952
making walking
on landing difficult.
650
00:35:55,954 --> 00:35:57,087
We've evolved.
651
00:35:57,089 --> 00:36:00,457
We've grown up
on a planet with gravity.
652
00:36:00,459 --> 00:36:03,193
And as soon as you're
an astronaut in outer space
653
00:36:03,195 --> 00:36:05,195
floating around
in weightlessness,
654
00:36:05,197 --> 00:36:06,963
it looks like a lot of fun
655
00:36:06,965 --> 00:36:12,102
but, actually, your body is
deteriorating from the inside.
656
00:36:12,104 --> 00:36:16,740
Narrator:
Astronauts need assistance to walk when returning to earth.
657
00:36:16,742 --> 00:36:20,010
If NASA's Mars crew arrive
on the red planet
658
00:36:20,012 --> 00:36:23,513
in a poor physical state,
they won't be able to function.
659
00:36:23,515 --> 00:36:25,549
[ Indistinct talking ]
660
00:36:29,421 --> 00:36:32,155
Intense exercise regimes
in space
661
00:36:32,157 --> 00:36:35,959
would help the crew
stay fit and healthy.
662
00:36:35,961 --> 00:36:37,360
But we're in the dark
663
00:36:37,362 --> 00:36:40,697
about the full impact
of extended space travel.
664
00:36:44,603 --> 00:36:46,203
On a mission to Mars,
665
00:36:46,205 --> 00:36:50,173
bodies will be pushed
to the extreme.
666
00:36:50,175 --> 00:36:52,142
To say that sending humans
to Mars
667
00:36:52,144 --> 00:36:54,611
is a challenge
would be an understatement.
668
00:36:54,613 --> 00:36:57,414
We could be ahead of ourselves.
669
00:36:57,416 --> 00:36:59,549
Plait: Eventually we're going
to lose people doing this,
670
00:36:59,551 --> 00:37:01,551
and that's something
we have to face.
671
00:37:01,553 --> 00:37:04,854
The question is,
is it worth it?
672
00:37:04,856 --> 00:37:08,325
Narrator:
But there may not be a choice.
673
00:37:08,327 --> 00:37:11,094
We know that, over time,
674
00:37:11,096 --> 00:37:13,330
this planet
is not going to be habitable.
675
00:37:13,332 --> 00:37:14,598
So we really should consider
676
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,367
if there are places
we can go outside of earth.
677
00:37:29,982 --> 00:37:34,184
?
678
00:37:34,186 --> 00:37:36,019
Narrator:
NASA's mission to Mars
679
00:37:36,021 --> 00:37:39,189
will be the toughest
undertaking in its history.
680
00:37:39,191 --> 00:37:43,059
The launch from earth will be
a monumental challenge...
681
00:37:45,197 --> 00:37:49,466
...the journey to Mars
filled with danger,
682
00:37:49,468 --> 00:37:52,736
and survival on
the red planet will be a test
683
00:37:52,738 --> 00:37:55,505
unlike anything
NASA has faced before.
684
00:37:55,507 --> 00:37:58,441
It's easy
to make a bullet list
685
00:37:58,443 --> 00:38:00,577
of of why going to Mars is hard.
686
00:38:00,579 --> 00:38:02,312
And that's going to be
a long list,
687
00:38:02,314 --> 00:38:04,948
and those bullet points
are going to be scary.
688
00:38:04,950 --> 00:38:08,385
A lot of these
are serious problems.
689
00:38:08,387 --> 00:38:12,122
Narrator: NASA's mission to Mars
needs to be a success.
690
00:38:14,526 --> 00:38:17,127
Earth is in danger
691
00:38:17,129 --> 00:38:20,263
from climate change
692
00:38:20,265 --> 00:38:22,198
to asteroid strikes
693
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:23,933
to nuclear destruction.
694
00:38:26,371 --> 00:38:28,972
We need an escape plan.
695
00:38:28,974 --> 00:38:31,408
Radebaugh:
Earth may just need a lifeboat in the future.
696
00:38:31,410 --> 00:38:34,077
We are growing very quickly,
697
00:38:34,079 --> 00:38:37,347
and we're using
a lot of our resources.
698
00:38:37,349 --> 00:38:39,482
We're changing the planet.
699
00:38:39,484 --> 00:38:41,685
Walsh:
We're looking for a lifeboat.
700
00:38:41,687 --> 00:38:45,388
Maybe Mars is the closest,
best chance we've got.
701
00:38:47,426 --> 00:38:48,825
Narrator:
Despite the challenges,
702
00:38:48,827 --> 00:38:52,729
NASA's goal is to send
the Orion spacecraft to Mars
703
00:38:52,731 --> 00:38:54,064
in the 2030s.
704
00:38:56,234 --> 00:38:59,703
But to do that,
we need a rehearsal.
705
00:38:59,705 --> 00:39:01,371
Durda: I'd love to
see us go to Mars.
706
00:39:01,373 --> 00:39:02,772
I would love to go myself.
707
00:39:02,774 --> 00:39:04,507
But it might be nice
to have a little bit of practice
708
00:39:04,509 --> 00:39:06,176
before we try it.
709
00:39:09,581 --> 00:39:14,351
Narrator:
Where better to practice than a destination closer to home.
710
00:39:14,353 --> 00:39:19,222
The ultimate aim is to get
humans to Mars, and one approach
711
00:39:19,224 --> 00:39:23,259
is to first have a goal of
getting humans back to the moon.
712
00:39:23,261 --> 00:39:27,163
Narrator: Orion will first make
the shorter trip to the moon.
713
00:39:29,501 --> 00:39:32,769
Lanza:
There are a lot of advantages to using the moon.
714
00:39:32,771 --> 00:39:35,872
We can test out different
scenarios for operations
715
00:39:35,874 --> 00:39:38,274
we can also
test out technologies
716
00:39:38,276 --> 00:39:42,579
much more close to home, and so
if something were to go awry,
717
00:39:42,581 --> 00:39:44,214
we can much
more easily intervene.
718
00:39:44,216 --> 00:39:45,515
It's a little bit safer.
719
00:39:45,517 --> 00:39:47,217
If we send people to Mars,
720
00:39:47,219 --> 00:39:48,985
you know, it's going to be
a lot harder for us
721
00:39:48,987 --> 00:39:50,820
to help them if they need it.
722
00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:57,560
Narrator:
NASA's Orion moon missions will be far more
723
00:39:57,562 --> 00:39:59,763
than just a training exercise.
724
00:40:01,867 --> 00:40:06,136
They'll use them to build
a lunar outpost called gateway,
725
00:40:06,138 --> 00:40:10,407
a space station in orbit
around the moon.
726
00:40:10,409 --> 00:40:12,308
It's actually a lot easier
to do that
727
00:40:12,310 --> 00:40:13,710
than trying to build
something on earth
728
00:40:13,712 --> 00:40:16,646
and get it out of earth orbit.
729
00:40:16,648 --> 00:40:20,517
Narrator: Six planned missions
will build and maintain
730
00:40:20,519 --> 00:40:24,621
a space station
in orbit around the moon.
731
00:40:24,623 --> 00:40:27,223
It will be a proving ground
for the technology
732
00:40:27,225 --> 00:40:31,394
and the science that will
help us get to the red planet.
733
00:40:31,396 --> 00:40:34,397
And once NASA
has ironed out any problems,
734
00:40:34,399 --> 00:40:37,901
the real mission can begin.
735
00:40:37,903 --> 00:40:41,871
Gateway won't simply be
a small step for man.
736
00:40:41,873 --> 00:40:46,109
It'll be a springboard
to another planet.
737
00:40:46,111 --> 00:40:49,112
When we first sent humans
to another planetary body,
738
00:40:49,114 --> 00:40:52,182
it was the moon, and we had
never done that before.
739
00:40:52,184 --> 00:40:54,350
So now we've got the moon
under our belt.
740
00:40:54,352 --> 00:40:57,887
We know something about how to
send people to another planet.
741
00:40:57,889 --> 00:41:01,357
We don't yet have all the
technologies that we might need
742
00:41:01,359 --> 00:41:04,327
to send humans to Mars,
but we're well on our way.
743
00:41:06,364 --> 00:41:09,632
Narrator: As NASA begins
its journey to the red planet,
744
00:41:09,634 --> 00:41:11,601
not everyone is on board.
745
00:41:13,605 --> 00:41:15,805
A lot of people think of Mars
as our lifeboat
746
00:41:15,807 --> 00:41:17,974
just in case
we screw things up on earth,
747
00:41:17,976 --> 00:41:21,244
but we really need
to take care of our own planet.
748
00:41:21,246 --> 00:41:24,113
If you want to go there
and explore
749
00:41:24,115 --> 00:41:26,516
or build a base,
more power to you.
750
00:41:26,518 --> 00:41:27,984
But I'm going to stay
751
00:41:27,986 --> 00:41:30,854
where it's a little bit
more green and blue.
752
00:41:30,856 --> 00:41:36,226
?
753
00:41:36,228 --> 00:41:39,729
Narrator:
Even so, NASA is already building rockets
754
00:41:39,731 --> 00:41:41,798
and testing the technology.
755
00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:47,770
The stage is set for humankind's
greatest adventure.
756
00:41:47,772 --> 00:41:50,940
I think we will send humans
to Mars.
757
00:41:50,942 --> 00:41:53,610
It's just a really, really,
really big problem
758
00:41:53,612 --> 00:41:55,745
that we have to figure out
how to solve.
759
00:41:55,747 --> 00:41:58,314
But we're good
at solving problems.
760
00:41:58,316 --> 00:42:00,750
Given the human mind
and how curious we are
761
00:42:00,752 --> 00:42:03,853
and how much we like
to climb the next mountain
762
00:42:03,855 --> 00:42:07,156
and achieve the next
challenge, Mars is right there.
763
00:42:07,158 --> 00:42:08,558
Radebaugh: There is something
in the human psyche
764
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:11,928
that will send us to Mars
despite all of the challenges.
765
00:42:11,930 --> 00:42:15,698
And so for sure
we will go to Mars.
766
00:42:15,700 --> 00:42:17,934
Stricker:
Even though it's extremely difficult to go to Mars,
767
00:42:17,936 --> 00:42:19,736
the answer is always yes
768
00:42:19,738 --> 00:42:21,704
if somebody asks me
if we should go
769
00:42:21,706 --> 00:42:23,840
because that's
the ultimate goal.
770
00:42:24,305 --> 00:42:30,167
Learn Thai online with BananaThai
http://osdb.link/bananathai
771
00:42:30,217 --> 00:42:34,767
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