The Exploration of Mars
Every week at The Clubhouse, we pose a question on our big conversation board about what’s been on the radar for our members lately. This is designed to not only spark conversations and encourage collaboration, but to also allow us to better know our community members in a fun and unique way. Recently, we asked whether or not they would go on a one-way trip to Mars.
At Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club, we’re self-admitted space fanatics. We’ve discussed the topic at hand many, many times, whether it was through a panel led by aerospace experts, in celebration of Astronaut Day and Star Wars, conversing with members around items to take in a Mars mission kit, or sharing insight into the internet from above. So it’s no surprise with recent news of Jeff Bezos heading to space and back, that we wanted to ask our community if they would take a one-way trip to the Red Planet.
Mars in particular is a popular subject when it comes to space exploration. Since the 1960s, NASA has sent 48 rovers in an attempt to reach Mars in order for us to learn more about the planet. However, only 21 missions were successful. The goal of sending all those rovers was, and continues to be, an attempt to learn more about how planets grow and evolve.
According to National Geographic, the reason behind the exploration of Mars is because everything we’ve gathered so far suggests that the planet was once capable of hosting ecosystems, and might still be an incubator for microbial life today.
Of course, the goal is to one day send humans to Mars. Companies like NASA and Mars One are looking to establish permanent accommodations for humans on the Red Planet. Mars One plans on departing their first crew in 2031, and earlier this week China revealed they plan on sending crewed missions to Mars by 2033, with the goal of overtaking the U.S. in the space race. Elon Musk’s Space X has also shown interest in sending humans to Mars.
In regards to what our members would do if given the opportunity to take a one way trip to Mars, well, surprisingly, their responses were all – NO! With reasons ranging from “it’s too far from the ocean” to “Earth has its perks” to “there aren’t any breweries on Mars.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson, some of the world's biggest billionaires, are “competing” to see who will go to space first.
Would you go on a one way trip to Mars? Let us know in the comments below.