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| conquer space |
It’s the hardest thing humanity has ever attempted, but
the technology to pull it off is finally within our grasp
We went to the Moon not because it is easy, butvbecause it is hard. 45 years later, it seems harder
than ever. Many Saturn V components are no longer manufactured and the largest rockets currently in service can only lift payloads a fifth of the size. Although manned exploration has been stuck in low Earth orbit since Apollo, scientists haven’t been idle. Technologies tested on the International Space Station have vastly improved the computing, communication and life-support capabilities of modern spacecraft, while unmanned probes have mapped our solar system in great detail. As global interest gathers momentum, we are now ready to take the next leap: to the planets.
A spacecraft comprises dozens of different subsystems to propel it to its destination, land intact and protect the crew during the journey. Over the following pages we’ll show you ten of the most promising technologies currently being developed by NASA and the European Space Agency for missions beyond Earth orbit. Some of these are already being tested aboard the ISS, while others will be launched as demonstration missions next year. Even the most speculative design concepts here use components and engineering that have already been successfully flown to space. A manned mission to Mars will be extremely challenging, but it isn’t science fiction any longer.
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