Astronauts to Start Colony in Space
This is the journey of a lifetime – literally.
NASA and DARPA have teamed up to build a Hundred-Year Starship, an initiative that would entail passengers leaving Earth and never coming back.
In order to set up a permanent colony on another planet, cosmologists suggest sending astronaut explorers to Mars and having them stay there for the rest of their lives.
The modern-day pilgrims would receive periodic supply missions, but they would be expected to find water, shelter, and nutrients on their own. They would also be expected to develop some kind of homegrown Martian industry, which could ultimately serve as a hub for an expanded colonization program.
The voyage is a feasible idea because a lot of the expenses associated with a manned mission to Mars are bringing the astronauts home. So by forcing the pioneers to stay, all that the mission would require is a propulsion system that could get off the ground with minimal fuel and land safety.
However, the initiative could result in significant hardships for the astronauts, who would possibly suffer emotional and psychological distress caused by isolation and long-term absence from their loved ones.
NASA has contributed $100,000 to the project, while DARPA has donated $1 million, and the expedition could happen as soon as 2030.
Would you want to move to Mars if we set up a colony there?
Image: NASA
