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it cia
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ed pe
s
Learn
About
n Rockets
n hyperloops
n spacesuits
n Terraforming
n the moon
n base camps
n the future!
space terraforming
tourism
CATCH A SPACE PLANE INTO
mars
3d-printed
habitats
Martian
colonies
Citizens of Earth!
O
ur future depends on you dreamers, design an urban area for 1 million people on
futurists and problem-solvers to Mars and bring it to life in VR.
preserve our way of life. You are HP and NVIDIA are bringing the greatest
invited to collaborate in a universe-changing minds in the world together for a first-of-its-
design, architecture, engineering and virtual kind collaborative effort to explore humanitys
reality project. future on Mars, in VR.
Powered by HP Z Workstations and NVIDIA With the creative and technical guidance of
Quadro graphics, along with your favourite Technicolor, co-creators will use Unreal
Autodesk 2D and 3D design software, we will Engine to bring the 3D models to life and
imagine, design, and experience a create a virtual reality simulation of what life
sophisticated civilization on Mars. A new on Mars could be like.
home for 1 million human Martians. Join HP Mars Home Planet for a chance to
Sometime in the not-too-distant future, win great prizes, collaborate with some of the
humans will thrive on Mars. HP Mars Home worlds leading visionaries, and earn a chance
Planet is a global mission to unite engineers, to have your design included in the ultimate
architects, designers, artists and students to Mars VR Experience.
hp.com/go/mars | 03
Contents
Worlds of discovery in your How It Works Special Edition
HP Mars
Home Planet
06 Everything you need to know
about the HP Mars Home Planet
project. This is your chance to help create a
Race to Mars
13
new home for 1 million humans on the Red Its the 21st century space race and the end game will
Planet and contribute to the worlds first see humans walking on Mars. Find out about the rival
and greatest crowdsourced VR experience. projects aiming to get there first and the spacecraft that will
transport them. Discover what we already know about the Red
Planet and how the Moon can act as a stepping stone both for
the journey and our plans when we get there.
f o r f u t u re f u si o n f or hp
Senior Editor Lee Hart Head of Fusion Procurement Worldwide Product Content Curation Dylan Young,
Art Director Stuart Hobbs and Production Matt Eglinton Development and AEC Cameron Young
Creative Director Mark Donald Production & Procurement Segment Manager Sean Young
Account Manager Charlie Scott Manager Abi Dougherty Worldwide Media and
Director of Content Marking Contributors All the team at Entertainment Segment
Clare Jonik How It Works magazine Manager Rick Champagne
hp.com/go/mars | 05
Creating a new home for 1 million
humans on the Red Planet
hp.com/go/mars | 07
Space
MARS VR EXPERIENCE
THE MISSION
Beginning on July 31, 2017 with the help of earthlings showcased at the Technicolor Experience Center (TEC).
everywhere and technical leadership from Technicolor, The Technicolor Mars VR Experience is a community-based
we will collectively endeavour to create the worlds first crowdsourcing effort, not a competition, but prizes will be
crowdsourced Mars VR Experience depicting the lives of awarded to outstanding contributors who go above and
1 million humans living on Mars. beyond the call of duty, as determined by our judges.
Our starting point is 40 square kilometers of high quality All who participate in the Mars VR Experience will forever
Mars terrain from the Fusion Mars 2030 VR project. The have the glory of being a key contributor to the worlds first
terrain modelled by the Fusion team is based on real and greatest crowdsourced VR experience.
NASA-supplied terrain data and imagery from the Mars
Valley region of Mars.
THE PHASES
Terraforming and game mechanics:
Fusion will contribute their Mars 2030 terrain model,
Aug 1, 2017 - Feb 1, 2018
complete with Mars environment (gravity, soil, sol, and
Development of built-environment:
even dust storms), in the form of Unreal Engine files.
Feb 1 - May 1, 2018
Final production: May 1 - Aug 1, 2018
Technicolor will offer creative and technological support
to help complete projects. HP Mars Home Planet will be
Contacts
Have a question, comment, concern or great idea? Send it to mars@hp.com
For specific questions regarding the HP Mars Home Planet Education League, please send inquiries to marsleague@hp.com
hp.com/go/mars | 09
MARS VALLEY URBANIZATION CHALLENGE
THE MISSION THE CONCEPT PHASE
Sometime, in the not too distant future, 1 million humans Create a visual image depicting your invention for a smart
will live in Mars Valley (Mawrth Vallis), on the planet Mars. city/region on Mars supporting life for 1 million humans.
Your mission is to imagine, design, and visualize the cities, Submissions can be anything from scanned napkin sketches
homes, buildings, shelters, school buses, bicycles, cars, with crayons to 3D renderings. Submit a bitmap image
shopping malls, electrical, water, sewage infrastructure, accompanied by a text description (math encouraged!).
amusement parks and ski resorts that will exist to support Design whatever inspires you in the built environment,
the 1 million humans living there. from cutlery to cars to skyscrapers to entire city plans.
08 || How
10 HowItItWorks:
Works:HP
HPMars
MarsHome
HomePlanet
Planet
THE MODELLING PHASE THE RENDERING PHASE
Create a 3D model depicting your invention for a smart city/ Create a still, animated, real-time, or VR rendering depicting
region on Mars that supports life for 1 million humans. The your invention for a smart city/region on Mars that supports
submission requirement is a 3D model from any CAD or 3D life for 1 million humans. The submission requirement is a
modelling software, along with a bitmap image depicting bitmap image, video, or real-time executable, along with the
your model (rendering or screenshot). source 2D/3D files.
Again, you can design whatever inspires you in the built TIMING
environment to help form the living and working ecosystem Submission: March 26 - April 25 2018
for 1 million humans. Validation: April 26 - May 18 2018
Judging: May 19 - June 8 2018
TIMING
Submission: Nov 14, 2017 - Jan 8, 2018
Validation: Jan 9 - Feb 2, 2018
Judging: Feb 3 - March 2, 2018
hp.com/go/mars | |09
hp.com/go/mars 11
Record-
breaking
rockets
n tu ry
e 21
How the st ce
w il l
ra ce
spac s to the
get u anet
Red Pl
Martian Life in
colonies Mars orbit
H
umanity has long dreamt of
sending people to Mars, but its
often felt like something
perennially beyond our reach.
However, it might very well
become a reality in the near
future thanks to the work of a
select few visionaries.
When the Apollo missions to
the Moon ended in 1972, many felt
that Mars was the next step. But instead the decision was
made to develop the Space Shuttle and, later, the
International Space Station (ISS), and remain in the Earths
orbit. Manned missions to Mars were shelved.
But in the last decade or so, Mars has been put back on the
agenda. Helped by recent discoveries that suggest it was once
habitable, theres a renewed clamour to get people there and,
among other reasons, find out if we are alone in our Solar
System, let alone the universe.
Up to now, progress has been slow. NASA has tried and
failed to start a Mars programme before called Constellation,
but this was scrapped in 2009 in favour of a new plan. Now,
NASAs goal is to get humans there by the 2030s. And the last
few years has seen a number of private companies springing
up with the same ambitions too. At the forefront is SpaceX
CEO Elon Musk, who in September 2016 revealed a bold plan
to send 1 million people to Mars over the next 100 years.
The dream of going to Mars is very much alive. As youll see
through this feature, it might not be long before we start
wondering whats next
Autumn 2018
NASA
NASA Space Launch System
NASA will launch its huge new
The worlds most successful space agency has long had rocket, the Space Launch System,
its eye on manned missions to Mars, going back to the December 2014 for the first time. This will be an
days of the Apollo missions. But progress has been slow, NASA unmanned mission.
with the plan now to send humans there in the 2030s.
Much will rely on continued support for the development Unmanned Orion
of a new spacecraft and rocket being built by NASA. On 5 December 2014, NASA launched its
Orion vehicle for the first time, on a Delta
IV Heavy rocket. The unmanned flight 2021
lasted around four hours.
SpaceX was founded in NASA
2002 to revolutionise Orion crew
space travel
2024 This is the earliest expected date for
The SpaceX
First SpaceX
NASA to launch a crew on its Orion
vehicle for the first time an integral
dream mission
In 2024, SpaceX is
part of a future Mars mission.
2039
Mars One NASA
This Dutch-led company gained notoriety when it Humans on Mars
proposed sending people on one-way trips to Mars in the By the end of the 2030s, NASA
2030s funded by a reality TV show. The early hype has hopes to finally put people on the
died though, and the company looks unlikely to succeed, surface of Mars. Its a lot later
but its another example of the growing plans to put than SpaceXs plan, but it might
people on the Red Planet. be a more realistic time scale.
hp.com/go/mars | 15
race to mars
Why Mars?
Our galactic neighbour has always fascinated us
Its a question almost as old as the ambition of Planet may once have had conditions that could be a global undertaking, with many potential
getting there in the first place: whats the point support life and it may still do today. We have spinoffs into the fields of medicine, psychology,
in going to Mars? Well, there are a few reasons. sent many rovers and orbiters to Mars, but none engineering and many more. Perhaps most
First and foremost, it satisfies our human can match the skills and versatility of a human. importantly of all, though, going to Mars could
desire to explore. Around the world, humans Its often said that humans on the ground could ensure our survival.
have always pushed beyond their boundaries. replicate everything the rovers have done in a One day, Earth will face a doomsday scenario
Now, the next logical step is space, and with the decade in a matter of days. And if Mars does such as an asteroid impact, or failing that, the
Moon already being graced by us, Mars is the host life, isnt finding out were not alone one of eventual death of our Sun. Perhaps the only
obvious (and easiest) next step. the greatest reasons of all to go? way to secure the future of the human race will
Mars also holds tremendous scientific value. The technologies required to send people to be to permanently colonise another world.
Excitingly, it is now believed that the Red Mars will be immense. It will almost certainly Mars could become that new home.
Habitable
Today, the surface of
Mars is mostly dry. But
Surface water
In September 2015, NASA
throughout its history it
revealed that liquid water
may have gone through
may have been found to
multiple periods of
have flown on the surface
wetness, with a thicker
of Mars, in the form of tiny
atmosphere more
trickles called Recurring
conducive to life.
Slope Lineae (RSL), but this
has not been confirmed.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Mars has
today mostly been blown away by
the Sun. But it may have been
much thicker about 4 billion years
ago, before Mars lost its magnetic
field for unknown reasons.
Mars journey
The journey to Mars will take at
least six months, although Elon
Musk thinks SpaceX can get this
down to 30 days eventually.
mars
Mars distance
Depending on both planets
NASA; Shutterstock
hp.com/go/mars | 17
Space
race to mars
Blast off!
The rockets that will take humans to Mars
To get to Mars youre going to need a big rocket. end of 2018. This will send an unmanned Orion to take satellites and unmanned spacecraft
So its a good thing that NASA and SpaceX are capsule on a flight around the Moon. A few into the Earths orbit and beyond. Their much
working on just that. years later, a crew will be sent on a mission to bigger rocket, revealed in September 2016, is
On the NASA side of things, weve got the lunar orbit (Orion can seat a maximum of six). the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS),
Space Launch System (SLS) coming in at a cost Beyond this though, there are no firm plans. also known as the Mars Vehicle.
of $18 billion. The plan at the time of writing is The idea is that in the 2030s one or multiple The ITS is absolutely mammoth, dwarfing
to develop two versions of the rocket, the larger SLS rockets will be used for a return trip to Mars. even the larger version of the SLS rocket. In
of which (called Block 2) will be the most Some have suggested the powerful rocket could early concepts, the rocket will launch with a
powerful rocket ever built more powerful also be used for quicker unmanned missions to large vehicle on top that could take 100 to 200
even than the Saturn V rocket that took other destinations in the Solar System. people to Mars on each trip. The rocket itself
humans to the Moon. As for SpaceX, they have two large rockets in will land back on Earth, ready to be used
A first launch of the smaller version, called development. The first is the Falcon Heavy, again, while the vehicle would travel on
Block 1a, is expected to take place towards the which will mostly be used by paying customers towards Mars on its own.
SLS vs ITS
Comparing these two
Height
NASAs SLS Block 2 will have
massive launch vehicles a height of just over 111m,
making it less than a metre
taller than the Saturn V.
NASAs SLS
Weight
The entire SLS rocket Spacexs its
will weigh 3mn kg at
the time of lift off.
Height
Thrust The ITS will be the
SLS will have a biggest rocket ever,
lift-off thrust of built at 122m tall.
4.2mn kg.
Weight
To get to Mars youre going
The weight of the ITS has not been
Payload confirmed, but we do know the
to need a big rocket. So its a The ITS will be booster is designed to land back
able to take up on the ground, unlike the SLS.
4 5
1 2
7
Size comparison
How SpaceXs rocket stacks up to NASAs
122m
111.3m
111m
97m
SpaceX Interplanetary
SLS Block 2
Purpose
Saturn V
Re-entry Supplies
Big Ben
The vehicle is
A heat-shield will protect The capsule will have designed for launch,
the spacecraft during basic life-support and long travel durations
Earth re-entry. cargo capabilities. and re-entry.
hp.com/go/mars | 19
race to mars
The Mars
Base Camp
Lockheed Martins plan to
put humans into Mars orbit
Sending people to Mars will probably not be a
single-mission endeavour. We will likely need
other missions to prepare, such as test missions
to Mars orbit, or even supply missions to the
surface of the planet. An agency like NASA Explore
One of two Orion vehicles could
wouldnt be too keen on sending people to Mars be used to explore the Martian
and having them fend for themselves it would moons Phobos and Deimos.
be wise to have some sort of infrastructure in
place beforehand.
With this in mind, Lockheed Martin unveiled
its plan for a Mars Base Camp in 2016. The idea
basically revolves around building an ISS-lite
in Mars orbit. This orbiting laboratory could be
visited by Orion spacecraft, and used by
astronauts to study Mars and control rovers on
its surface. The latter is known as telerobotics,
and has been proposed as a way to speed up
Mars exploration. There is a lag of tens of
minutes when controlling a rover on Mars from
Earth, but that would be reduced to just
seconds from Mars orbit.
Lockheed Martins proposal
would involve beginning
construction of the Base
Camp first in cis-lunar space
(near the Moon). The company Fuel tanks
Liquid oxygen and
say that NASA could use this as a place to dock hydrogen fuel will be
its Orion spacecraft and, in 2023, astronauts stored in these tanks.
could practice controlling rovers on the surface
of the Moon. Then, in 2027, the entire station
would be relocated to Mars. By 2028, it would be
ready for humans to visit, and it could be used
Mars
Base Camp
as a staging outpost for trips to the surface in
the 2030s.
Whether NASA will adopt the plan remains to Building a space station
be seen. But its an enticing one as it lays out a in orbit around Mars
steady roadmap for Mars exploration. Unlike
SpaceXs plan, it also seems quite realistic. The
technologies are not beyond our reach, and it Habitat
The station would have
builds on things that have been done before. space for astronauts to
live and work in.
Sending people to
Mars will probably not Laboratory
Here astronauts could
be a single mission conduct experiments and
control rovers on Mars.
Hibernation
One of the problems with getting to Mars is working out what to do with the
astronauts on the way. With a journey time of up to several months, the
astronauts will need to keep fit, ready and alert. One possible way to do this
is to have a rotating section to simulate Earths gravity. But another way is to
put the crew into hibernation, an idea that NASA has funded research for.
A small crew could be unconscious for two weeks at a time on a rotational
basis, with one person always staying awake for a brief time. Every two or
three days, that astronaut would go into hibernation and another would wake
up. While asleep, the astronauts would be kept at temperatures as low as 32
degrees Celsius down from our more regular 37 degrees Celsius to slow
their metabolisms.
Orion
The Mars Base Camp would
A home on Mars?
have two docking ports for One major criticism of the Apollo missions was that there were no plans to
two Orion vehicles. keep people on the Moon permanently. The longest mission on the surface,
Apollo 17, was about 12 days and we have not been back to the Moon since.
Many are keen for Mars exploration to not simply be a series of boots on
the ground missions, but rather a plan to keep a base or colony on the
surface. Its unclear which route NASA is favouring at the moment, so time
will likely tell what they are aiming for.
As for SpaceX, we know that they want to have a massive colony on the
surface in the next 100 years or so. They envisage sending 100 people or
more at a time and reusing their rocket for multiple trips, eventually leading
to a colony of 1 million people on Mars. Elon Musk has also touted the
idea of terraforming Mars and making it liveable for humans, but
thats a story for another day.
Solar arrays
The spacecrafts power
Lockheed Martin; SpaceX
hp.com/go/mars | 21
race to mars
Testing the
limits of
spacecraft
Take a look inside the European Space
Agencys high-tech testing facility
T
he European Space Agency (ESA) brings more Large Space Simulator
than 20 countries together in pursuit of space This room mimics the vacuum of
space, bombards craft with
travel, and its largest facility can be found at radiation, and freezes them to
Noordwijk on the west coast of the Netherlands. The temperatures far below zero.
European Space Research and Technology Centre
(ESTEC) is the high-tech hub of the operation,
responsible for making sure that all spacecraft and Inside the
their payloads are fit to fly.
Travelling to space is a challenge. Spacecraft are
Test Centre
A network of rooms allows
exposed to extreme speeds, extreme temperatures, spacecraft to be rigorously
and extreme vibration. They will enter a vacuum, tested before they go into space
undergo weightlessness, and be pummelled with
radiation, so before the spacecraft set off into these
Electromagnetic
compatibility facilities
unforgiving conditions, the ESA team needs to make These rooms are shielded from
sure that they are ready. external radiation, allowing the
electromagnetic emissions of the
More than 2,500 people work at ESTEC, designing
spacecraft itself to be tested.
the blueprints for new missions, developing new
technology, and checking every spacecraft before
launch. Each new item needs to be tested, and the
facility is equipped to mimic the stresses of outer
space as closely as possible.
The self-contained facility was specially designed
to allow spacecraft to move from one area to the
next, undergoing a sequence of tests to ensure that
they are ready to fly. All the rooms are kept behind
airlocks, ensuring that the craft remain clean and
protected throughout their stay.
Inside the centres various rooms, the equipment
is shaken, spun, blasted with sound, frozen,
bombarded with radiation and exposed to a vacuum.
Each room is specifically designed to test a different
The ESA
aspect of the launch and space-travel process. For Intermediate
instance, the Large European Acoustic Facility acts eXperimental
like a giant music speaker, blasting satellites with Vehicle being
shaken and
the kind of volumes they will need to endure at stirred
lift-off. Next, the craft may be exposed to the extreme
temperatures of space for a period of several weeks.
While the spacecraft and components undergo
rigorous tests, the Data Handling Systems collect Hydraulic shaker
This shaker, known as HYDRA,
and analyse information from hundreds of sensors. can simulate the vibrations of a
Once they have passed every challenge that the Test major earthquake.
Centre throws at them, the spacecraft are ready to
make the dangerous trip into space.
Data-
Foam wedges absorb
sound and radio Pushed to the
handling
rooms
signals, creating
anechoic rooms
limit
Adjacent rooms The Test Centre is equipped with
Vibrators allow data to be an impressive arsenal of kit
Shakers are used to put analysed designed to test spacecraft and
spacecraft through the straight away, their payloads to breaking point.
intense vibrations that they streamlining the Physical properties machines
will experience during launch. testing process. weigh and measure the equipment,
determining the centre of gravity
and the moment of inertia. This
Compact Payload can help to ensure that everything
Test Range is balanced if the spacecraft needs
This area allows satellites and to spin in flight.
other payloads to be tested in Electrically powered shakers
conditions that mimic those put the equipment through the
experienced in orbit. intense vibrations of launch, while
a hydraulic shaker is on hand for
larger, heavier equipment. The
Large European Acoustic Facility
(LEAF) bombards satellites with
intense sound, up to 156 decibels,
to ensure that they will still be able
to function after launch. And the
most impressive room in the
facility, the Large Space Simulator,
plunges test equipment into a
space-quality vacuum, complete
with freezing temperatures and
radiation that mimics the
dangerous emissions of the Sun
Throughout testing, sensitive
equipment gathers data about
how the spacecraft are
performing, ensuring that they
will be ready for the real thing.
Sound proofing
The walls of the sound chamber
are 0.5 metres thick, and made
from steel-reinforced concrete
ESA
hp.com/go/mars | 23
race to mars
Anatomy of a spacesuit
How this incredible device allows astronauts to survive the extremes
S
pacesuits are an astronauts life support and water vapour are also sent back to the PLSS; personal spacecraft. If an astronaut on a
system, providing them with oxygen, the carbon dioxide is then removed by reacting spacewalk (also known as extravehicular
keeping them warm and protecting with lithium hydroxide, producing lithium activity, or an EVA) finds themselves drifting off
them from the vacuum of space. They provide carbonate and water. The water vapour into space, then the modern NASA spacesuits
communications with fellow astronauts and condenses and is also removed and stored in the have a device called the Simplified Aid for EVA
mission control, monitor their health and are pack, while oxygen is recycled back around the Rescue, or SAFER for short, which is composed
sealed against the harsh environment outside. suit for the astronaut to breathe. Sometimes, of little manoeuvring jets that can fly them back
One of the most important parts of any space spacesuits are referred to as an astronauts own to the space station.
suit is the backpack: the Primary Life Support
System, or PLSS. Its more than just an oxygen
pack it keeps the suit pressurised to prevent Spacesuits in numbers
hypoxia (caused by the decrease in oxygen
within the blood stream), removes harmful
carbon dioxide and cools the suit by pumping 19,000m
145kg Spacesuits are
water around it. It also houses medical monitors -160 to +120 With the life required beyond an
and the communication equipment. degrees 1961 support system altitude of around
The PLSS life support system is a closed loop,
Celsius The very first $12 million attached, a 19,000 metres to
Spacesuits protect spacesuit the The most recent spacesuit weighs supply the oxygen
so everything is recycled. Inside the suit the astronauts from SK-1 was worn spacesuits each in at around 145 needed to breathe
astronaut wears a skin-tight Liquid Cooling and the extreme by cosmonaut and cost in the region kilograms. The suit and maintain a
ESA; Getty
temperatures first man in space, of $12 million to alone weighs about constant pressure
Ventilation Garment, which removes body heat
outside the ISS. Yuri Gagarin. manufacture. 55 kilograms. around the body.
through perspiration. Oxygen, carbon dioxide
Design details
An essential piece of clothing for space travel,
each part of a spacesuit has an important job
Build a spacesuit
Spacesuits do not come in
a single piece, but are built
from several pieces that
are fastened together: the
upper torso, the arms and
the lower torso assemble.
Toilet break
While in the middle of
a spacewalk you cant
just pop to the loo, so a
spacesuit contains a
maximum absorption
garment a fancy
name for a nappy!
Gloves
Space is so cold that the
fingertips in an astronauts
gloves contain miniature
heaters. The gloves are
made to be dexterous while
providing a strong grip.
Dexterity
Spacesuits have to
provide astronauts with a Ventilation Life support
range of motion for when garment system
they are working outside The Liquid Cooling and The life support system
of the space station. Ventilation Garment is contains oxygen tanks
made from skin-tight as well as a battery for
Spandex and worn beneath power, water-cooling
the space suit. It contains equipment and a fan for
Footwear over 90 metres worth of essential air circulation.
The boots on current spacesuits are soft and not really tubing to remove and
made for walking, just floating. New boots will have to recycle body heat, carbon
be designed for going back to the Moon or Mars. dioxide and perspiration.
hp.com/go/mars | 25
race to mars
Living
on
Moon
the
How we could turn craters into colonies for human life
T
he Moon is our closest neighbour but and its unique environment could hold clues to preparation for future mining missions, and
only 12 people have ever set foot on its the history of the Solar System. The Moons they are building a shuttle capable of lifting
surface. Since 1972, the only visitors have potential has been recognised by organisations human astronauts to the Moon.
been robots, orbiters and probes. For a long across the world, and there are now several Whats more, in 2007, Google launched the
time there was little interest in going back, but exploratory missions in development. At the Lunar XPRIZE, encouraging private companies
at just three days journey away from Earth, the moment, these are focused around finding out to land rovers on the surface by 2017. Even
Moon is an obvious target for further more about the Moons potential, but over the NASA, who has chosen to focus their resources
investigation. With more countries establishing next few decades, manned missions and even on manned missions to asteroids and to Mars,
their own space programmes, and an base construction could be on the agenda. are developing a probe to map the water
increasing number of private companies Russias Roscosmos are planning a series of deposits on the lunar south pole.
entering the field, interest in the Moon is Luna-Glob missions as a starting point for At the moment, we are just taking our first
growing once again. establishing a robotic base, and in tentative steps towards further exploration of
The environment on the Moons surface is collaboration with the European Space Agency, the Moon, but in the future a science fiction-
hazardous, but if we can find a way to construct they are hoping to scope out the Moons south style base on the surface could become a
a base we would gain access to a wealth of pole in 2019 and 2020. The China National Space reality. We explore what such a lunar outpost
off-world resources. It is a prime location for Administration are developing a series of might look like, and what hazards and
telescopes and communications equipment, Change probes to collect lunar samples in challenges could get in the way.
Exploration
Large vehicles could Refuelling
be used to carry The low gravity on the
explorers away from surface would allow
established bases to spacecraft to land, refuel
explore the Moon. and take off much more
efficiently than on Earth.
Technical testing
Building a protective habitat on
the surface of the Moon will
test technologies to their limits.
ESA_Foster + Partners; NASA
hp.com/go/mars | 27
race to mars
How to
Inflatable habitats are light but
vulnerable to asteroid impacts
build a base
The Moon has little atmosphere and none of
the protective shielding that we enjoy here on
Earth. As a result, the surface is hostile. It is
pummelled by solar winds, scorched by
radiation, and chunks of rock regularly fall
from the sky. The ground is coated in the
shattered remains of ancient asteroid impacts,
forming a thick layer of sticky dust, and with no
atmosphere or weather to wear the particles
down, the grains are razor sharp. A successful
base would need protection against all of these
threats, and, for people to stay there long-term,
it would also require a steady supply of food,
water, oxygen, power, shelter and rocket fuel.
One of the most popular concepts for a lunar
base is inflatable housing lightweight and
easily assembled by pressurising from the
inside. With the airlock from the landing
capsule used as a door, these structures could
provide a quick and simple solution to setting
up a base. However, a puncture could prove
catastrophic, so the pods would need to be Buildings coated in Moon dust Dust from the Moon could be used
shielded in underground chambers or beneath would be shielded from as a material for 3D printing
piles of Moon dust. impacts and radiation
Permanent shade
The north pole is smoother
Craters
than the south pole, but parts
Craters near the poles
of it are in constant shadow.
could provide protection
against solar wind.
Helium-3
Solar winds have left rich
helium-3 deposits near the
Where to build?
equator, providing a potential
source of clean energy.
Lava tubes
Caverns beneath the
surface of the Moon could
provide shelter from
radiation, space weather
and temperature changes.
the surface cools to 150 degrees below freezing. zero degrees Celsius. There is also water ice Hills pit could offer ready-made shelter from
These wide fluctuations could pose real trapped at the poles, which could provide temperature fluctuations, solar wind,
problems for buildings and equipment, and gases, fluids and even rocket fuel. radiation and surface dust.
hp.com/go/mars | 29
race to mars
Inflatable habitats
Building materials are heavy,
so one option is to use
inflatables. These would need
to be protected from impacts.
What would a
lunar colony
look like?
The Moon is not a safe place for humans
a base will be essential for survival
Water supply
Water could be extracted from lunar
dust by heating it with hydrogen gas.
Telescopes and
equipment
Away from the Radiation shielding
interference of Earths Buildings would need to be
atmosphere, a lunar protected from radiation. A
base could house popular idea is to bury them
powerful telescopes. under layers of moon dust.
Oxygen
Water extracted from the lunar surface Only a handful of people have
could be split into hydrogen and oxygen
using a technique called electrolysis. visited the Moons surface, and
the longest stay lasted three days
Glass roads
Microwaves could be used to
melt the dust on the surface of
the Moon to produce smooth,
tough roads. Food Flatpack buildings
Farming resources would need Buildings could be
to be transported to the Moon, constructed using geometric
but waste could then be recycled frameworks shipped in pieces
to keep plants growing. from Earth.
DK; Dreamstime
but the Moon is a different environment. Only a handful of people have
visited the surface, and the longest stay lasted for only three days.
The Moon has a sixth of the Earths gravity and
comes with its own unique challenges. The
dust that coats the surface could prove
one of the most difficult problems to
overcome. During the Apollo
missions, the sharp particles
found their way into equipment,
through vacuum seals, and even
Mining inside spacesuits, irritating the
operations
The dust or regolith eyes and lungs of the astronauts.
could be mined for
Permanent settlements on the
use as a building
Moon will only be possible with
material, or to make
proper protection
oxygen, water and
rocket fuel.
hp.com/go/mars | 31
life
MARS
ON
I
n September 2016, SpaceX founder low as -153 degrees Celsius and no magnetic field,
Elon Musk announced a bold plan to its not exactly a habitable location. But several
colonise Mars with humans. It made billion years ago, were pretty sure Mars had vast
headline news around the world and amounts of water. We can see evidence for this in
while there are understandably some what appear to be valleys carved by rivers, empty
critics it has once again raised the lakebeds and even coastlines.
prospect of exploring Mars. The big question remaining about Mars is
Today, Mars is a barren, inhospitable whether life could have existed there, or still does.
world. With an atmosphere thats 95 per It is unclear how long the planet had surface
cent carbon dioxide, temperatures as water for, and it may not have been long enough
for life to thrive. But its possible that primitive,
microbial life might have taken hold.
4.5 billion years ago 4.5 to 4.1 bn years ago 4.1 to 3.7 bn years ago
Formation Pre-Noachian Noachian
The planet Mars forms, along with A little-known period of Martian Volcanic activity thickened the atmosphere,
the other rocky planets in the history when the planet was likely causing rain, forming valleys and lakes we
Solar System. pounded by asteroids. see remnants of today.
Thin atmosphere
Today, Mars has a relatively
thin atmosphere, making the
pressure too low on the
surface for liquid water.
Coast
Scientists have recently
observed what appear to be
NASA; Thinkstock
hp.com/go/mars | 35
life on mars
Mars Organic
Molecule Analyser
The biggest instrument on
ExoMars, MOMA will directly
try to find biomarkers in MOXIE
samples collected by the drill. This intriguing
instrument will attempt
to create oxygen on
SHERLOC Mars from its carbon
NASAs Viking This instrument will use an
ultraviolet laser to search for
dioxide, with an eye on
future manned missions.
landers were the organic compounds on Mars.
first probes to
search for life Hidden
water
There could be ice or
even liquid water
trapped under the
Martian surface
Clues
Geological features on the
surface suggest Mars once
had rivers, lakes and seas.
hp.com/go/mars | 37
Space
life on mars
Getting to Mars
How were preparing for manned
missions to the Red Planet
The rockets
To get beyond Earths orbit, you
need a very big rocket. For the
Apollo missions to the Moon, Practising on the ISS
NASA had the Saturn V, which Long-duration stays aboard the
remains the most powerful International Space Station (ISS) are
rocket ever built. But for missions helping prepare crews for Mars. These
to Mars, things are going to need stays normally last six months, but in
to get bigger and better. 2015, an American astronaut and
First up is NASAs Space Russian cosmonaut spent an entire
Launch System (SLS). Measuring year on the station, providing crucial
117 metres in height, this data on how humans will cope with
heavy-lift rocket will launch the longer spaceflights needed for
astronauts and cargo to Mars. Its Mars missions.
first test flight is not scheduled
until 2018, though, and questions
remain over how it will be used.
More recently, SpaceX founder
Elon Musk revealed his bold plan
to get to Mars with his SLS Rocket
Interplanetary Transport System NASAs Space Launch
(ITS). At a height of 122 metres, System will enable humans
Musk wants to use this to to explore destinations
colonise Mars with a million beyond the Moon.
people by the turn of the century.
It is likely that Russia and China
will also reveal rockets bound for
Mars over the coming decades.
Will SpaceXs
Interplanetary
Transport System
deliver on its
promises?
Journey to Mars
How NASA plans to send humans to Mars by 2040
Robotic helpers
Images from orbiters and
data from rovers at Mars
will be used to pick a landing
site for the manned
missions, with a number of
candidates already being
discussed. Once humans
reach Mars, probes can also
be used as relay satellites to
Ion engines communicate with Earth.
The spacecraft that takes humans to Mars
will likely use some form of solar electric
propulsion, or ion engines, to gradually
accelerate and decelerate the spacecraft.
This will help save on fuel, leaving more
room for cargo and reducing the mass
needed at lift-off from Earth.
hp.com/go/mars | 39
life on mars
Exploration
Astronauts could enter
and exit the structure
with ease, allowing
them to explore the Water
Martian surface. Subsurface water would
continuously be mined to
re-supply the astronauts
and keep them alive.
Terraforming Mars
The steps wed need to take to make Mars habitable
40 | How It Works
Particle problems
DID YOU KNOW? Other places in the Solar System like Europa and Titan may once have played host to life, or perhaps still do
900 years
100,000 years
Location
The habitat would
be built on land
where subsurface
water was easily
accessible.
Habitat modules
NASA; WIKI; Clouds AO; Foster + Partners
hp.com/go/mars | 41
life on mars
COLONISING MARS
The tech that will help us go where no man has gone before
E
ver since Neil Armstrong set foot on the The reaction between nano-aluminium from a tiny bolt to a huge satellite dish means
Moon there have been dreams to colonise powder and water creates a powerful blast of that missions can leave without bulky payloads
other bodies in the Solar System hydrogen gas and aluminium oxide. This on board.
something that is becoming increasingly viable provides the thrust for a rocket to launch without All these advances in technology have pushed
thanks to huge advancements in space travel weighing too much. Solar technology, such as forward the possibility of inhabiting another
and equipment such as spacesuits. that used on the Rosetta comet-chasing probe, planet. Mars One is a project that aims to have
Voyager 1 has travelled just short of 20 billion will also reduce the reliance on fuel, further humans living on Mars by 2025. They hope to
kilometres (12.4 billion miles) from planet Earth, lightening the load. achieve this by sending up rovers and life-
but so far humans have only reached the Moon, MIT has developed a skintight spacesuit that support units within the next eight years, which
which is 384,400 kilometres (239,000 miles) essentially shrink-wraps the astronaut, will seek out a location close enough to the poles
away. The main reasons behind the difficulty of providing counter-pressure to the atmosphere. for water, close enough to the equator for solar
sending humans further distances are fuel This will be much lighter and more flexible than power and flat enough to build on. The life-
storage, costs and the comfort of the astronauts. current spacesuits, making extended periods of support units will leech water from the soil by
At least one of these conditions has to be wear far more bearable. heating subsurface ice. Some will be stored and
compromised for a long-distance journey into 3D printing has also paved the way for some used for creating oxygen, nitrogen and
space and that has held us back but that missions in space to be much more streamlined. argon, which should make the atmosphere
situation could soon change. The ability to design and print almost anything breathable before the first humans arrive.
Escape vehicle
In the event of an
emergency, the Terraforming
inhabitants of the Chlorofluorocarbons
planet will have a will be released into
Clothing means of escape. the atmosphere to
Spacesuits will be required trap the Suns heat and
until the atmospheric create an ozone layer.
conditions are right, but
lighter, more mobile suits Factories
are in development. The chlorofluorocarbons
will be manufactured in
factories from soil and
air, well in time for the
first crews arrival.
Housing module
Inhabitants would live
inside pressurised domes,
which are connected to
the water supply.
Supplies
Water will be
extracted from
the Martian
surface by
heating ice.
Reaching Mars
To make it to the Red Planet, new spaceships are needed
these are the best ones currently in development
VASIMR
The Variable Specific
Impulse Magnetoplasma
Rocket converts gas into
magnetised plasma,
providing powerful fuel
to shorten the journey.
SLS
Similar in design to the
Saturn V King of the
Apollo era and
successfully launched
13 times NASAs Space
Launch System (SLS)
is currently being
developed for future Crew capsules
Mars missions. NASAs Orion Multipurpose
Crew Vehicle or SpaceXs
Falcon 9 Dragon capsule could carry
A two-stage the colonists to Mars.
reusable rocket
that will take the
spaceship to
Mars. It is
designed by
private space
company SpaceX.
Sol90; Dreamstime
hp.com/go/mars | 43
life on mars
B
elieve it or not, the soil found on the Hawaii and Arizona to obtain material akin to that untreated soil found on Mars was the
NASA/ESA/The Hubble Heritage Team; NASA
Moon and Mars could actually be much Martian dirt and lunar soil, to provide us with plants favourite. On the other hand, Moon dirt
more fertile than some of the dirt found the information that could help humans one didnt agree with them completely, with some
on Earth. If we are ever to go on to colonise day settle on an alien planet. Both soils have crops struggling to grow.
other worlds with the Red Planet being our the essential ingredients plants need to grow All is not lost for crop farming on the Moon,
number-one target then this is very good nitrates and ammonium. though scientists think that pumping our
news for astronauts. The experts discovered by using fake natural satellites soil with nitrogen-fixing
Its thanks to a team of scientists in the minerals from Mars and the Moon to try and bacteria could be the ticket for growing crops
Netherlands, who have braved volcanoes in grow carrots, tomatoes, weeds and wheat on our cratered companion.
hp.com/go/mars | 47
world of tomorrow
Future cities
Experience the lean, green cities well soon be living in
Solar power
Buildings would
incorporate solar
panels into their walls
to harvest energy.
Farmscrapers
Wind power High-rise flats could grow
The farmscrapers would food both inside and outside
also have wind farms on the buildings, helping to
their roofs to make use of create natural insulation.
unhindered wind energy.
Urban spaces
By building up rather than out,
cities will have room for spaces
for recreation and leisure.
Water collection
Rainwater could be collected
on the roofs of buildings,
which would then be used in
the homes below.
M
ajor cities are often viewed as grey,
energy-guzzling monoliths, but the
eTrees
Trees with solar panels cities of the future could change
instead of leaves can everything. As the planets store of fossil fuels
provide charging stations dries up, we are looking for new ways to power
for phones and free lighting.
our cities in sustainable but spectacular-
looking ways.
Skyscrapers will become towering
greenhouses as vertical farming takes hold.
Crops would be grown between storeys, taking
advantage of the Suns energy while using
minimal ground space. These ecological
super-buildings would have photovoltaic
solar-cell facades and be topped by wind
turbines, making these homes the ultimate
self-sustaining structures.
Tomorrows city centres could look very
Energy storage different as groups gather below solar powered
Excess energy produced trees. These so-called eTrees offer more than
by solar panels and wind just shade, as the energy produced from the
farms would be stored in
batteries and fed back solar panels transforms them into mobile
into the national grid. phone charging stations, free Wi-Fi and night
lighting. The solar energy also activates an LCD
screen that displays information such as the
weather and educational content.
Building upward would allow plenty of room
on the ground for urban social areas as well as
luminous plants. These are implanted with
light-giving compounds known as luciferins,
which will make the greenery glow at night as a
cost-effective and eco-friendly method of
illuminating tomorrows cities.
Far from being a scary, soulless world as
shown in movies like Judge Dredd and Blade
Runner, the future cities promise to be bright,
spacious and green, making the most of the
amazing natural resources we have at our
disposal already.
hp.com/go/mars | 49
Space of tomorrow
world
Augmented
learning
Glasses with special
over-eye displays will
let students view
related, useful
Indoor information around a
school trips subject as they learn.
Students will bring in
their own VR headsets
from home in order to
take virtual outings as
a group.
Guided learning
Interactive boards will allow
teachers to pose questions at
the start of the lesson, before
students form into groups to
direct their own learning.
Desk-embedded
computing
Desks will be a lot more than
surfaces to lean on. Screens
built into the table-tops will
allow students to work without
extra computers or hardware.
Digital
worksheets
Paper-thin screens Gaming
will be commonplace, Games will be
Online discussions allowing a single introduced into the
The online area will be used as a worksheet to change classroom as a tool for
place to communicate, with throughout the day learning, making the
students and teachers to display classroom a more
contributing to discussions about information the interesting and engaging
a days lesson for homework. students need. place for students.
Passing notes
Kids wont write notes
to each other any more
VR lessons Interactive
holograms will
Dedicated booths will
instead, theyll send
allow students to
messages through their
allow students
step away from the
smart watches so the
classroom and take
teacher doesnt see.
to walk around
trips into history,
space, or the future.
models of
planets, animals
and more
hp.com/go/mars | 51
world of tomorrow
Tomorrows
transport
Why getting from A to B will soon become a breeze
W
hen you hear the term transport of in the air thanks to its Rotax 912 engine. This you around. The Google driverless car has
the future your mind will generally would reduce the traffic in future cities, making already completed over 1,125,000 kilometres
turn to flying cars. Excitingly, theyre the streets safer for people on the ground. (700,000 miles) of accident-free driving using
already on the way. AeroMobil has unveiled the Also, companies such as Amazon and DHL are GPS satellites to map routes and on-board
third version of its flying vehicle. Capable of trialling drones that can deliver parcels under 2.3 cameras to search for hazards.
switching in seconds between car and plane, kilograms (five pounds), which Amazon says These cars could be used as taxis which
you could wing your way to your destination, makes up 86 per cent of their deliveries. The use would be summoned by a smartphone app
free from traffic jams and roadworks. of drones will clear the streets and air as they and would drive closer to each other and more
On the ground, the AeroMobil uses regular will be battery or solar powered. efficiently than human drivers, meaning that
petrol and fits into any standard parking space, If you still felt like you wanted to stay on the no one need ever own a car. Unless its an
but can reach 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour ground, however, driverless taxis could ferry amazing flying car, that is.
Length
The 6m (19.7ft)-long body
makes it 38 per cent longer
than the 2014 Ford Focus,
so bay parking might be tricky.
Wings
The wings span
8.2m (27ft) and
are fully collapsible,
enabling the
AeroMobil to act
as a normal car.
Seating
There is only room for two
people, so its probably not
ideal for families!
The AeroMobils
dashboard is a little
more complicated
than todays cars
Delivery drones
At the moment delivery companies spend huge
sums of money and use enormous amounts of
fuel on delivering parcels, but in the city of the
future drones could take on the task. Amazon
and DHL are testing out drones that could
deliver the majority of their products. These
autonomous flying vehicles are lightweight and
can be pre-programmed to reach their
destination, guided by satellites.
They could deliver to hard-to-reach areas such
as islands and take a huge number of vehicles
off the roads. As they are powered either by
batteries or solar power, they wouldnt be a
drain on resources like delivery trucks either.
At the moment it is still illegal in the US for
Amazon to use their drones for commercial
reasons, although the company is in talks with
the FAA to work around this. As the technology
is already there it is looking increasingly likely
that these devices could be in our skies within
the next few years.
Driverless taxis
There is a very good chance that in the future, no
one need ever own a car. Just like London and
New Yorks bike-rental scheme, driverless cars
could be summoned to your house and drive you
to work. As they will drive themselves with much
Science Photo Library; Alamy; AeroMobil; Dreamstime
hp.com/go/mars | 53
world of tomorrow
The Hyperloop
Elon Musks fascination with revolutionising sound. To achieve such an incredibly quick on a cushion of air, similar to an air hockey
the way we travel doesnt just include electric journey between the two Californian cities, the table. These skis will pass through tracks of
Tesla cars or SpaceX rockets. The entrepreneurs Hyperloops tubes will be depressurised to linear induction motors positioned throughout
most innovative idea yet focuses on a high- significantly reduce atmospheric drag on the the tube which will electromagnetically
speed super shuttle called the Hyperloop.This pods as they zip through. Musk ruled out using accelerate or decelerate the pods as required.
Futurama-style tube concept is billed as a a complete vacuum, however, since this would An eight-kilometre (five-mile) test track of the
high-speed transport system capable of be difficult to maintain and even so much as a Hyperloop system is due to be built in California.
whizzing between San Francisco to Los Angeles tiny crack in the tube would completely stop the If the project is a success, we could soon see a
a total distance of around 600 kilometres (372 whole system working. rapid form of transport for people and goods
miles) in just 35 minutes. The pods will have aluminium ski-like fixtures that doesnt cost lots to run, making Hyperloop
This unconventional design involves pods that will have high-pressure air pumped one of the most exciting advancements to ever
travelling through a tube at almost the speed of through them, allowing the capsules to levitate occur in the travel industry.
Passengers
Each capsule should be able to hold
Tube pressure
Reduced pressure approximately one
Inside the Hyperloop
28 passengers, with seating thousandth of the air pressure at sea level Heres how Elon Musks Hyperloop will
similar to that on ensures a travelling capsule is faced with transport passengers quickly and
an airplane. minimal air resistance. efficiently from A to B
Aerodynamics
The capsules will need to
be designed with a suitably
aerodynamic shape to cut
through the air.
Design
SpaceX are currently holding
a competition for engineers
to design pods to try out on
the Hyperloop test track.
Tubes
The Hyperloops tubes
will be suspended in the
air by pillars, which will Linear accelerators
include dampers to help The Hyperloops propulsion will be Air cushion
withstand earthquakes. provided by linear electric motors which Each capsule will float on a
produce electromagnetic forces that cushion of air, significantly
push the pods along the tube. reducing friction.
Personal helicopters
Traffic is swelling on roads around the world
and in Brazil the wealthy are looking to avoid
this altogether by taking to the skies in
personal helicopters.
Novel designs such as the Volocopter are
becoming increasingly popular among the urban
elite. Key to the success of vehicles like the
manned Volocopter, which can carry up to two
passengers at a time, is that they are capable
of a vertical take-off or landing, making it very
useful in tightly-packed cities where space is
at a premium.
The Volocopter is powered by electric
motors, making it quieter and more
environmentally friendly than a conventional
helicopter. The lack of an internal combustion
engine also eliminates the vibrations and the
high noise level associated with helicopters, German company e-volos Volocopter is
meaning the Volocopter is much more an electrically powered VTOL aircraft
comfortable for its occupants.
Solar power
The Hyperloop looks set to harness
the Suns energy by installing solar Speed
panels along the roof of the tube. The capsules will whiz
through the Hyperloop at a
top speed of about
1,223km/h (760mph) just
below the speed of sound.
Air compressor
A large compressor fan will
be mounted to the front of
each capsule to help direct
air toward the back and
out of the pods path.
Sacramento
San Francisco
California
Fresno
To Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Main route
Journey times from San Diego
LA to San Francisco Branches
Hyperloop 35mins
Car 5hrs 40mins
Thinkstock; Argodesign
Bus 8 hrs
Train 12 hrs
Flight 1hr 30mins
hp.com/go/mars | 55
world of tomorrow
Star trekkers
NASAs prototype drone
is being tested in this
gimbal to assess its
low-gravity performance
How drones can be used in
space exploration
Cold-gas jets Navigation
Instead of rotors, jets will The navigation system will
Extreme Access Flyers use oxygen or steam
water vapour to handle
recognise landscapes, and
will be able to guide itself
The next evolution of quadcopters the lifting and to pre-programmed
will use fuels created on Mars manoeuvring duties. locations.
The mission to find water and ice on
Mars will soon expand to utilise a new Powered up
generation of drone technology thanks A base station, from which the
to the scientists at NASA. A tiny new drone will be deployed, will
drone may soon be launched to the also recharge the drone using
Red Planet, and be flown into the most energy captured from solar
difficult-to-access areas of faraway panels.
planets and asteroids to discover
resources otherwise inaccessible to
land-based rovers. A drone might just
discover water on Mars.
Sampling
No blades The drone will be designed
The blades of a modularly, allowing it to
drone on Mars take various tools one at
would have to be a time, depending on
huge to gain lift in the mission.
the thinner Mini-drone
atmosphere. The drones NASA is
Early prototypes are large, but the final Recharge station Picture perfect
drone may be as small as the palm of your Balloons could offer a Balloons, holding
mobile recharging station cameras, could fly
for smaller drones, which over the surface of
would deposit samples the moon, taking
Rotor-driven
Due to Titans thick
atmosphere, drones
featuring rotors would fly
far better than those
using gas-powered flight.
Kraken Mare
Titans largest known sea, known
as Kraken Mare, is the primary
target for any underwater drone.
Tough areas
Instruments Rotor-based drones could
The submarine will measure the land in hard-to-reach
lakes chemical composition, areas, including at the
take images of the sea bed, and top of inclines.
track currents and tides.
hp.com/go/mars | 57
world of tomorrow
I
ts 2050 and taking a vacation is easier than ever, Skyscanners director of hotels, already predicted back
thanks to the latest technological breakthroughs. in 2016: In ten years time a traveller will be able to take
Over the next few pages, well guide you through a virtual reality walk through the hotel he is planning to
every step of your trip, from planning and booking, to book in real-time.
travelling and making the most of your stay. The stress of travelling is long gone and getting to your
Zaha Hadid Architects/Bloom+Voss Shipyards/Moka-Studio
Some of the technology involved might seem destination is almost as enjoyable as the holiday itself. Avoid the airport altogether by
taking your TF-X flying car
unbelievable, but all of it was already real, or under In 2016, Melissa Weigel from design studio Moment
development, in 2016. Take the process of booking your Factory said: In the near future, airports will be an
trip; you may have been using comparison websites to intrinsic part of the holiday experience. Since then,
find the best deals, but now you dont need to enter your automated check-in and speedy security scanning has
information, as online travel agents already know your made boarding your flight a breeze.
preferences. Gareth Williams, CEO and co-founder of Holiday destinations have also changed a great deal,
travel company Skyscanner, said: Travel search and as futurist Daniel Burrus predicted: Relatively
booking will be as easy as buying a book on Amazon. affordable trips in low Earth orbit that enable you to
The 90-metre luxury JAZZ yacht
Theres no longer any guesswork involved in picking experience a few minutes of weightlessness will happen features an indoor pool
your holiday destination either, as Nik Gupter, very soon. Now weve our sights on the Moon and Mars.
in the summer and is built using one million then Jumbo Stay will let
rebuilt every winter, with blocks of salt and you dwell in one too. The
construction taking just features 16 rooms, a spa converted 747-200 jumbo
six weeks. Temperatures and a golf course. jet is grounded near
inside the hotel are Everything from the walls Arlanda Airport in
between -5 and -7 to the beds is made Sweden and features
degrees Celsius. entirely from salt. over 30 rooms.
hp.com/go/mars | 59
world of tomorrow
Spaceflight operators
Lots of different commercial Refuelling
spaceflight companies operate Rocket engines need both fuel
from the same spaceport, so a
Terminal building and a source of oxygen, and
number of different vehicles different types are needed for
Not just for check-in and
are catered for. different spacecrafts.
shopping, the terminal also
hosts astronaut training
facilities to prepare
Runway passengers for their flight.
Space planes like Virgin
Galactics SpaceShipTwo need
a long runway for horizontal
take-off and landing.
space tourism
Take a trip thats literally out of this world
If you really want to escape from it all, then how force you back into your seat and youll
about leaving the planet altogether? Space experience over 3 g for 150 seconds and
tourism is a billion dollar market in 2050 and then the booster engine will cut off as Blue Origin first
vertically landed a
there are several companies offering trips. Blue you glide into space. The capsule will booster in 2015,
Origin, the company set up by Amazon founder separate from the booster, and from the paving the way for
Jeff Bezos, can offer you breathtaking views serene silence will come the signal to reusable rockets
from its New Shepard spacecraft as you soar release your harness.
over 100 kilometres above Earth. As you float out of your seat and marvel
Youll need to arrive at the desert launch site at the weightless freedom, youll forget
in West Texas two days before your flight so you that youre travelling faster than Mach 3
can begin your astronaut training. Youll three times the speed of sound and stare
receive mission and vehicle overviews, back at Earth out of the capsule window. XCOR Aero
space is plan
in-depth safety briefings and instructions on Before descent, you will return to your seat to Lynx spacep ning to laun
lane from its ch its
Curaao sp
how to move in a weightless environment. strap in for re-entry. Forces of over 5 g will push aceport
When the morning of your flight arrives, its against you before the parachutes deploy and
time to scale the steps of the launch tower and thrusters fire, reducing your speed as you
climb through the hatch of the capsule, which gently float back to Earth. Once youve landed,
sits on top of an 18-metre tall rocket. just miles from where you launched, you can go
Once youre strapped in and have received and collect the complimentary souvenirs of
final clearance for launch, the countdown to your thrilling trip. Thats right; novelty
lift-off will begin. The extreme acceleration will keyrings still exist in 2050.
Interstellar
space travel
The multimillion-dollar project taking us
further into space than ever before
T
o date, weve done a pretty good job of known as laser sails to reach tremendous should accelerate the spacecraft to 20 per cent
exploring the Solar System. But in our speeds, and make a trip to another star possible of the speed of light or 216 million kilometres
half a century or so as a space-faring in as little as a generation. per hour in minutes.
species, we have not yet truly ventured to any of Youve probably heard of solar sails before. At these speeds, traversing the Solar System
the 100 billion stars in our own galaxy, or These are sheets of thin material that expand to would be a breeze. In hours, the spacecraft
beyond. In 20 years, though, that could all be massive sizes in space. Like a wind sail on would reach Mars, a journey that takes several
set to change. Earth, these sails then pick up speed not from months for conventional spacecraft powered by
On 12 April 2016, Russian billionaire Yuri regular wind, but solar wind, the stream of chemical fuels. In three days, it would reach
Milner announced an ambitious project as part particles given off by our Sun. The rate of Pluto, which took New Horizons almost ten
of the Breakthrough Initiatives to send a series acceleration is very slow but over time, a years to reach. Most importantly, in 20 years,
of small spacecraft to the nearest stars to our spacecraft could theoretically reach a the spacecraft would reach Alpha Centauri, 4.37
own Sun, the Alpha Centauri system. And he significant fraction of the speed of light. light years (40 trillion kilometres) away.
wasnt alone; alongside him at this This proposal is slightly different, though.
announcement were respected scientists, Instead of using solar wind, the team is Alpha Centauris three stars
including Stephen Hawking and Kip Thorne, proposing to fire giant lasers on Earth at arethe closest to our Sun
who have all signed up to help with the project. sail-mounted spacecraft. These spacecraft,
The human story is one of great leaps, said known as a StarChips, would have several
Milner. 55 years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the instruments packed into them, but be small
first human in space. Today, we are preparing enough to fit on the palm of your hand, thanks
for the next great leap to the stars. to huge advances in technology. The sail itself
So, whats it all about? The project is known would be larger, spanning a metre, although
as Breakthrough Starshot, and it is utilising an just a few hundred atoms thick. Theoretically,
oft-touted but little explored technique shining a 100-gigawatt laser on one of the sails
sail works
challenge of this hugely ambitious project. An array on Earth fires
a combined laser of
Weve never sent a spacecraft beyond 240,000 100 gigawatts.
The science behind using lasers
kilometres per hour before; the StarChip would to reach incredible speeds
travel almost 1,000 times faster. There will be a
huge number of unknowns of accelerating to
and travelling at these speeds. How the
spacecraft will hold itself together during the
intense acceleration phase, and how it will
communicate with Earth at great distances,
will also need to be resolved.
Breakthrough Starshot, therefore, is a bid to Direction
overcome such hurdles. Milner is investing $100 The laser will be directed at the
million of his own money, but he readily admits StarChip in Earth orbit.
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world of tomorrow
Heliosphere
interaction
101 AU 102 AU zone 103 AU
Mars Voyager 1
After an hour, the swarm Once they pass Voyager 1 at 20
of spacecraft will make billion kilometres, the StarChips Interstellar wind
their way past the Red will become the most distant
Planets orbit. Termination shock man-made objects.
would be released in orbit, where the powerful As for Alpha Centauri itself, the system may planets. Its hoped the same would be true of
Earth-based laser would shine upon them, hold invaluable secrets. At the moment, were Alpha Centauri.
firing them off in the direction of Alpha not actually sure if any of the three stars host Initially, astronomers had thought that
Centauri. Think of this mission not as a single planets. Previous detections have since been there was a planet orbiting in the desirable
man-made vehicle making a lonely journey, but ruled uncertain. But its fair to assume there are habitable zone of one of the stars, Alpha
an entire fleet venturing off into the cosmos. probably some planets in orbit, considering Centauri B, an orbital position that is not too
If it works, this form of propulsion could two of the stars are similar to our Sun. We know hot nor too cold, where liquid water is able to
prove invaluable. Not only would it let us reach all stars form in a debris of dust and gas, a form on the surface. The nature of whatever
Alpha Centauri in 20 years, but it would also let planetary disc, which often gives rise to planets are there still remains uncertain, but
us explore destinations closer to home, such as
the Moon and Mars, in a tiny fraction of the A giant array on Earth
will fire a 100-gigawatt
time that is currently possible. Imagine if, on a laser at the StarChip
regular basis, scientific organisations from
around the world could send their own
prospecting spacecraft to places all over the
Solar System, letting us frequently explore
worlds closer to home, rather than sending a
mission every few years or so.
Once the spacecraft reached Alpha Centauri,
they would not stay for long. Owing to the
method of travel, this would very much be a
one-way trip. The spacecraft would merely fly
by any worlds we discover, snapping as many
images as possible and gathering data. They
may also collect information on the
atmospheric composition of the planets, their
temperature, their rotation rate, and so on.
Beyond
After the flyby, the
spacecraft will be
interstellar medium left to drift endlessly
into space.
104 AU 105 AU
Alpha Centauri
After 20 years, the
spacecraft will reach
the Alpha Centauri The StarChip is small enough to fit
system and begin between finger and thumb
their mission.
Oort Cloud
It will take more than five years
to exit the Oort Cloud, the
region of comets surrounding
our Solar System.
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DID YOU KNOW? ESAs PLATO space telescope will focus on finding Earth-like worlds in habitable zones after launching in 2024