Satellite & Space Missions

Biography

Biography: Giancarlo Genta

Abstract

The idea that humans could reach Mars is quite old and was advocated by many pioneers of spaceflight. Apart from fictional descriptions, sometimes bypassing completely the problem of how getting there, and of pioneristic work dealing with the general aspect of the problem, the first detailed study of a human Mars mission was done by Wernher von Braun who published in 1949 Das Mars Projekt, a technically sound project, demonstrating that it was possible to reach Mars with a technology predictable for a not too far future. This project, although technologically consistent, didn’t take in due account the relevant costs and, as perhaps unavoidably with a first attempt to put the problem in a rational way, was not sustainable.

The early first studies were followed by a large number of other ones, some of which directly promoted by space agencies, other performed by independent researchers or private societies, like the Mars Society. Many robotic Mars missions, performed by NASA, ESA and Roscosmos, recently joined by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, have the explicit goal of paving the way for human exploration of the planet.

Since a few years ago the common understanding was that human space exploration was the domain of space agencies, possibly cooperating with each other to mount international endeavors like the International Space Station (ISS), while private organizations like the Mars Society could play a role of advocacy groups, performing support tasks and supplying fresh ideas. Recently, however, private companies and no-profit organizations declared their intentions of mounting space exploration expeditions and/or starting space exploitation activities. Among them, SpaceX is developing a low cost transport system specifically intended for planetary (mainly Mars) exploration and issued statements regarding future mars colonization plans.

The book which is here presented deals with the problem of human Mars exploration from all viewpoints, from propulsion and astrodynamics to human factors, from the construction of the habitat on the planet to the ground transportation needed to reach the most interesting location, from the importance of other space missions, in particular those aimed to explore the Moon, as stepping stones to Mars, to more futuristic topics like colonization and terraforming.

While returning to the Moon is the first step toward the creation of a spacefaring civilization, the human exploration of Mars is without any doubt the logical ‘next step’.