Mars Mission

India and Other Countries’ Upcoming Space Missions

Mars Missions

India is not the only country with ambitious plans for Mars exploration. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to send a satellite to the Red Planet in November 2013. The satellite will study Mars’ climate and geology from orbit.

NASA is also planning another Mars mission, called the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. MAVEN will study how Mars’ atmosphere interacts with the Sun. The mission is set to launch in 2013.

Moon Missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to put an unmanned lander on the Moon in 2018. The lander will study the lunar south pole, which is a relatively unexplored region.

China is also planning to land a probe on the Moon in the second half of 2013. China has had a successful string of recent space missions, including their own Earth-orbiting space lab and the Chang’e 1 lunar orbiter.

Other Space Missions

Iran is planning to launch a rhesus monkey into space in the next month. This will be Iran’s first space mission involving a living creature.

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Landing

All eyes are on NASA’s Curiosity rover, which is scheduled to land on Mars in just a few days. The rover will study the Martian surface and search for signs of past or present life.

How to Catch the Curiosity Rover Landing

If you’re interested in watching the Curiosity rover landing, there are a few ways to do so. You can watch it live on NASA TV, or you can follow along on social media. NASA will be providing updates on Twitter and Facebook throughout the landing process.

Additional Details on Upcoming Space Missions

India’s Mars mission: The Indian satellite is designed to study Mars’ climate and geology from orbit. It will launch in November 2013 and travel for 300 days before reaching Mars.
China’s Moon mission: China’s probe is designed to land on the Moon’s surface and collect samples of lunar soil. It is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2013.
ESA’s Moon mission: ESA’s lander is designed to study the lunar south pole. It will launch in 2018 and land on the Moon’s surface.
Iran’s space mission: Iran’s space mission will involve launching a rhesus monkey into space. The monkey will be equipped with sensors to monitor its vital signs.
NASA’s MAVEN mission: NASA’s MAVEN mission will study how Mars’ atmosphere interacts with the Sun. It will launch in 2013 and orbit Mars for one Martian year (about two Earth years).

How Much Space Do Astronauts Need for a Mars Mission?

The Challenge of Designing Spacecraft for Long-Duration Missions

Crewed missions to Mars have long been a dream of science fiction, but NASA is taking concrete steps towards making a human colony on the Red Planet a reality. One of the key challenges in designing spacecraft for such missions is determining how much space each astronaut will need to live, work, and thrive during the months-long journey.

The Orion Space Capsule and the Need for a Larger Habitat

The Orion space capsule is designed to carry astronauts from Earth’s surface to orbit around Mars, but a larger habitat will be required for the months-long journey to the neighboring planet. The design of this habitat is still in progress, but researchers are looking to the International Space Station (ISS) for guidance.

The International Space Station as a Model for Mars Habitats

The ISS carries a crew of six people and has a habitable volume of 13,696 cubic feet, larger than a six-bedroom house. However, any spacecraft headed to Mars will be much more cramped, as weight will be tightly controlled due to the immense distance and fuel requirements.

Draper’s Tracking System for Astronauts

A company called Draper has developed a tracking system to measure astronaut movement and rotation, which can be used to optimize the layout of future Mars habitats. The system uses an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a camera to accurately track astronauts’ movements and activities.

Testing the Tracking System in Mock-Ups and Microgravity

The tracking system has been tested in mock-ups of the ISS and in microgravity conditions during parabolic flights. The tests have shown that the system is accurate to within a yard, and further testing is expected to improve its accuracy even further.

Future Plans for the Tracking System

Later this year, Draper plans to simulate a typical day’s work on the ISS using the Johnson Space Center’s mock-up. The tracking system will be used to collect data on astronaut movement and activities, which will be used to refine the design of future Mars habitats.

NASA’s Long-Term Plans for Mars Missions

NASA’s plan is to send a crewed mission to Mars in the 2030s or 2040s. The tracking system is just one of many technologies that are being developed to support this ambitious goal. By carefully considering the needs of astronauts and optimizing the design of spacecraft, NASA is working to make the dream of a human colony on Mars a reality.

India and Other Countries Gear Up for Exciting Space Missions: Mars, Moon, and Beyond