Ikusasa lokuhlola indawo libomvu

Isintu besilokhu sikhangwa yisikhala: isikhala esikhulu esingakathintwa futhi, esikhathini esidlule, esingafinyeleleki. Sake sacabanga ukuthi ngeke silubeke unyawo enyangeni; kwakungaphezu kwamandla ethu, futhi wona kanye umcabango wokufika ku-Mars wawuyindida.

Kusukela i-USSR yaqala ukuxhumana neNyanga ngo-1959 kanye nomsebenzi we-NASA we-Apollo 8 ngo-1968, isifiso somuntu sokuhamba emkhathini sikhulile. Sithumele izinto zezandla kude esistimu yethu sonozungezilanga, zahlala kumaplanethi ake angenakufinyeleleka, futhi siye sabuka izinto zezinkanyezi eziqhele ngezigidigidi zeminyaka yokukhanya.

Ukwenza lokhu kwakudingeka siphoqe amakhono ethu ezobuchwepheshe kanye nawomzimba afinyelele umkhawulo; sasidinga izinto ezintsha ezisunguliwe kanye nezinhlelo ezintsha zokugcina isintu sisezingeni eliphezulu, siqhubeke sihlola, futhi siqhubeke sandisa ulwazi lwethu ngendawo yonke. Esikubheka njengekusasa kuyaqhubeka kusondela ekubeni yimanje.

IZINKOMO EZILANDELAYO

Ngo-April 2013, inhlangano ezinze e-Netherlands i-Mars One yafuna abafaka izicelo abazimisele ababezoqala umkhankaso oyingozi: uhambo oluya ngendlela eyodwa ukuya ku-Red Planet. Njengoba kunamavolontiya angaphezu kuka-200,000, akudingekile ukusho ukuthi bathole ababambiqhaza abenele kulolu hambo.

Lolu hambo lwaluzosuka eMhlabeni ngo-2018 futhi lufike eMars cishe ezinsukwini ezingama-500 kamuva; umgomo walo msebenzi uwukusungula ikoloni ngo-2025. Abanye babalingani be-Mars Ones ngu-Lockheed Martin, uSurry Satellite Technology Ltd., SpaceX, kanye nabanye. Banikezwa izivumelwano zokuthuthukisa i-Mars lander, i-data link satellite, kanye nokunikeza indlela yokufika lapho nokusungula ikoloni.

Kuzodingeka amarokhethi amaningana ukuze kuyiswe umthwalo okhokhelwayo ku-orbit bese kuyiswa ku-Mars; le mithwalo ekhokhelwayo ihlanganisa amasathelayithi, ama-rover, imithwalo kanye, vele, nabantu. Uhlelo ukusebenzisa i-SpaceXs’ i-Falcon Heavy rocket kulo mkhankaso.

Imoto yokuhamba nge-Mars izoba nezigaba ezimbili, imojula yokufika, kanye nendawo yezokuthutha. I-capsule yokumisa lapho kucatshangelwa khona umkhankaso iwuhlobo lwe-Dragon capsule, futhi yomklamo we-SpaceX. I-Lander izophatha amayunithi asekela ukuphila ukuze ikhiqizele izakhamuzi amandla, amanzi, nomoya owuphefumulayo. Izophinde igcine izindawo ezihlinzeka ngokudla, amaphaneli elanga, izingxenye eziyisipele, ezinye izakhi ezihlukahlukene, izindawo zokuhlala eziphefumulayo, nabantu.

Kunama-rover amabili azothunyelwa ngaphambi kwabasebenzi.Omunye uzohlola indawo yaseMartian ukuze afune indawo yokuhlala, ukuthutha i-hardware enkulu, futhi asize emhlanganweni omkhulu. I-rover yesibili izophatha inqola yokuthutha i-capsule yokufika. Ukulwa nezinga lokushisa elidlulele, umkhathi omncane, ongaphefumuli, nemisebe yelanga ngaphezulu, izifiki zizosebenzisa amasudi e-Mars lapho zihamba phezulu.

I-NASA nayo inohlelo lokubeka unyawo ku-Red Planet, kodwa umsebenzi wabo uhlelelwe cishe u-2030. Bahlela ukuthumela iqembu labantu abangamashumi ayisithupha abamele izinhlangano zikahulumeni ezingaphezu kuka-30, izimboni, izikhungo zemfundo, nezinye izinhlangano.

Ukuba nokwenzeka kwalo msebenzi kudinga ukwesekwa kwezimboni zamazwe ngamazwe nezizimele. UChris Carberry, uMqondisi Omkhulu weMars Society, utshele Space.com: “Ukuze ukwazi ukwenza kube nokwenzeka futhi ukwazi ukuthengeka, udinga isabelomali esimeme. Udinga isabelomali esingaguquki, ongakwazi ukubikezela unyaka nonyaka futhi esingakhanselwanga ekuphathweni okulandelayo ”.

Ubuchwepheshe abahlela ukubusebenzisa kulo msebenzi buhlanganisa i-Space Launch System (SLS) kanye nekhepsuli yabo ye-Orion deep space crew. E-Mars Workshop ngoZibandlela wezi-2013, i-NASA, i-Boeing, i-Orbital Sciences Corp., kanye nabanye benza izivumelwano mayelana nokuthi yini okufanele ifezeke umkhankaso kanye nendlela ababezokwenza ngayo lokho.

Lezi zivumelwano zihlanganisa ukuthi ukuhlola komuntu i-Mars kungenzeka ngokobuchwepheshe ngo-2030, ukuthi i-Mars kufanele ibe yinto okugxilwe kuyo kakhulu ekundizaniseni kwabantu emkhathini eminyakeni engamashumi amabili kuya kwamashumi amathathu ezayo, futhi basungula ukuthi ukusetshenziswa kwe-International Space Station (ISS) okuhlanganisa ubudlelwano bamazwe ngamazwe. kubalulekile kule mikhankaso yasemkhathini ejulile.

I-NASA isakholelwa ukuthi idinga ulwazi olwengeziwe ngaphambi kokuya ku-Red Planet; ukuze balungiselele lokhu bazothumela ama-rover kuma-precursor missions kuma-2020s ngaphambi kokuthumela abantu emhlabeni. Ochwepheshe abanaso isiqiniseko ngobude bemishini futhi bazonquma lokho njengoba sisondela osukwini lokuqalisa lwango-2030.

I-Mars One kanye ne-NASA akuzona kuphela izinhlangano ezibheke ku-Mars. Abanye bangathanda ukuya ku-Mars, njenge-Inspiration Mars, u-Elon Musk, kanye ne-Mars Direct.

I-Inspiration Mars ifuna ukwethula abantu ababili, okungcono umbhangqwana oshadile. Umbhangqwana uzothatha uhambo lokundiza lwe-Mars ngo-January 2018, lapho uhlele khona ukusondela amakhilomitha angu-160 ngo-August walowo nyaka.

Umsunguli we-SpaceX, u-Elon Musk, unephupho lokuguqula isintu sibe uhlobo lwamaplanethi amaningi. Uhlela ukuya ku-Mars esebenzisa irokhethi elisebenziseka kabusha elinikwa amandla umoya-mpilo owuketshezi ne-methane. Uhlelo luzoqala ngokubeka cishe abantu abayishumi emhlabeni ozogcina ukhule ube indawo yokuziphilisa equkethe abantu ababalelwa ku-80,000. NgokukaMusk, i-rocket esetshenziswa kabusha iyisihluthulelo sawo wonke umsebenzi.

I-Mars Direct, eyasungulwa okokuqala ngeminyaka yawo-1990 yinhloko ye-Mars Society uRobert Zubrin ithi indlela “yokuphila ngaphandle komhlaba” iyadingeka ukuze kugcinwe izindleko ziphansi. Uhlela ukwenza lokhu ngokukhiqiza umoya-mpilo kanye nophethiloli ngokudonsa izinto zikaphethiloli emkhathini, esebenzisa inhlabathi ukuthola amanzi, kanye nezinsiza zokwakha: konke lokhu kuphelelwa amandla enuzi. UZubrin uthi ukuxazululwa kuzokwazi ukuzimela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

I-NASA ELINDIZAYO

Ngomhla zingama-29 kuNhlangulana wezi-2014 i-NASA yethula umsebenzi wayo omusha we-Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) endizeni yayo yokuqala yokuhlola. Lo msebenzi wezandla uklanyelwe ukuhambela i-Mars esikhathini esizayo esiseduze. Kwahlolwa emkhathini ongaphezulu woMhlaba ukuze kuhlolwe ukuthi umsebenzi wezandla kanye nezinhlelo zawo zeSupersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD) kanye ne-LDSD zizosebenza kanjani endaweni ye-Martian.

Umkhumbi omise okwesoso unamapheya amabili okusetshenziswa okukodwa okuwuphothayo, kanye nerokhethi eyodwa yesimo esiqinile ngaphansi komkhumbi ukuze uqhubekisele phambili. ukuphakama okungamamitha ayi-120,000.

Lapho umkhumbi ufinyelela ukuphakama okufanele, ama-thruster ayesebenza ukuze awuphothe, okwandisa ukuqina kwawo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, i-rocket ngaphansi komkhumbi yasheshisa imoto. Lapho kufinyelelwa ukusheshiswa nokuphakama okufanele—u-Mach 4 kanye no-180,000 wamafidi—i-rocket yasikwa futhi isethi yesibili yabadudulayo ebheke kolunye uhlangothi yokhela ukuze iwususe umkhumbi.

Kuleli qophelo uhlelo lwe-SIAD lwasetshenziswa, indandatho ephefumulayo ezungeze ubuciko yanwetshwa, yaletha ububanzi bomsebenzi wezandla ukusuka kumafidi angama-20 kuye kwangama-26 futhi yehliselwa ku-Mach 2.5 (Kramer, 2014). Ngokusho konjiniyela be-NASA uhlelo lwe-SIAD lusetshenziswe njengoba bekulindelekile ngokuphazamiseka okuncane emsebenzini wezandla. Isinyathelo esilandelayo kwakuwukufaka ipharashuti elinamandla amakhulu elisetshenziselwa ukunensa umkhumbi ukuze uhlale.

Ukwenza lokhu a balute yasetshenziswa ukuze kufakwe ipharashuti ngesivinini esingamamitha angu-200 ngomzuzwana. I-ballute yabe isinqanyulwa futhi ipharashuti yakhululwa esitsheni sayo sokugcina. Iparashute yaqala ukudabuka ngokushesha lapho ikhululwa; isimo esiphansi somoya sibonakale sisikhulu kakhulu kupharashuthi futhi sayidabula.

Umphenyi Oyinhloko we-LDSD, u-Ian Clark wathi “[babe] nokuqonda okubalulekile nge-physics eyisisekelo ye-inflation ye-parachute. Sizibhala kabusha ngokoqobo izincwadi eziphathelene nokusebenza kwamapharashuthi ngesivinini esikhulu, futhi sikwenza kusasele unyaka ngaphambi kwesikhathi esimisiwe” phakathi nengqungquthela yezindaba.

Ngisho noma i-parachute ibhuntshile, onjiniyela balo basakubheka njengempumelelo ukuhlolwa njengoba kubanikeza ithuba lokubona indlela ipharashute elizosebenza ngayo endaweni enjalo futhi lingayilungiselela kangcono izivivinyo zesikhathi esizayo.

MARS ROVER NGE-LASERS

Ngokuphumelela okuqhubekayo kwe-Curiosity Mars rover yabo, i-NASA yenze izinhlelo zesibili. Le rover izosuselwa kakhulu ekwakhiweni kwe-Curiosity kodwa okugxilwe kakhulu kwe-rover entsha i-radar yokungena phansi namalaser.

I-rover entsha izobukeka futhi isebenze njengeCuriosity; izoba namasondo angu-6, isisindo sethani elilodwa, futhi izohlala ngosizo lwe-rocket powered sky crane. Umehluko omkhulu phakathi kwalokhu okubili ukuthi i-rover entsha izoba nezinsimbi eziyisikhombisa kweziyishumi zeCuriosity.

I-Mast ye-rover entsha izoba ne-MastCam-Z, ikhamera ye-stereoscopic enekhono lokusondeza, kanye ne-SuperCam: inguqulo ethuthukisiwe ye-Curiosity's ChemCam. Izodubula ama-laser ukuze inqume ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali amatshe ukude.

Ingalo ye-rover izoba ne-Planetary Instrument ye-X-Ray Lithochemistry (PIXL); lena i-x-ray fluorescence spectrometer enesithombe esinokulungiswa okuphezulu. Lokhu kuvumela ososayensi ukuthi benze uphenyo oluningiliziwe ezintweni ze-rock.

Kanye ne-PIXL, i-rover entsha izoba nalokho okubizwa ngokuthi i-Scanning Habitable Environments ene-Raman ne-Luminescence ye-Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC). Lena i-spectrophotometer yocwaningo oluningiliziwe lwamadwala nezinto eziphilayo ezingase zitholwe.

Umzimba we-rover uzofaka i-Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA), okuyisiteshi sesimo sezulu sobuchwepheshe obuphezulu kanye neRadar Imagers ye-Mars’ Subsurface Exploration (RIMFAX), eyirada engena emhlabathini.

I-Mars Oxygen ISRU—in situ resource utilization—Experiment (MOXIE) izohlola ukuthi umoya-mpilo ungenziwa yini nge-carbon dioxide emkhathini ocebile we-Martian. Ithuluzi lokugcina i-corring drill engasetshenziselwa ukuqoqa amasampula; amasampula angagcinwa ku-rover noma phansi endaweni ethile.

I-rover entsha izosetshenziselwa umkhankaso wokuya ku-Mars ngawo-2020 ngenhloso yokuhlonza amadwala angase abe nethuba elingcono kakhulu lokuthola ubufakazi bempilo yangaphambilini ku-Mars. I-rover izolandela indlela iCuriosity eyayithatha lapho ifika ku-Mars ukuze ihlole indawo iCuriosity eyasungula okungenzeka yayisekela ukuphila.

I-rover entsha ingasesha amasignesha e-bio, amasampula enqolobane nethuba lokubuyela eMhlabeni, futhi iqhubekisele phambili umgomo we-NASA wokubeka abantu ku-Mars. Uma i-rover ingakwazi ukuphindela eMhlabeni iyodwa, kuyokwazi ukuthi osomkhathi bafune amasampula kamuva; uma evalwa amasampula angahlala iminyaka engamashumi amabili kusukela eqoqweni.