Let's Go To Mars! | Aprille Ericsson | TEDxBaltimore
The speaker argues that the desire to reach Mars is historically motivated, requiring humanity to embrace diversity and view challenges as inspirational catalysts rather than insurmountable barriers. The plan involves a multi-phase approach, moving from Earth-based science to deep space, validated by new technology like the Space Launch System and the Orion capsule. The journey requires overcoming extreme logistical challenges, including massive fuel requirements and radiation shielding, all while emphasizing the need for international cooperation.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker: Aerospace engineer and rocket scientist (details implied by career focus).
- Context: Presenting a plan for humanity's journey to Mars, drawing on historical space exploration achievements and future technological needs.
- Inspiration: Early influences included watching the Apollo 12 mission in Brooklyn, watching *The Jetsons* and *Lost in Space*, and viewing *Star Wars*.
## Theses & Positions
- The pursuit of space travel is not a question of *if*, but *when* humanity will reach Mars.
- Space exploration requires overcoming immense difficulties, exemplified by Kennedy's statement: *"we choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it's easy but because it is hard."*
- Achieving Mars missions requires a phased technological progression: Earth Alliance $\rightarrow$ Cis-Lunar $\rightarrow$ Earth Independent.
- Progress depends on developing systems for in-situ capability, such as using rovers for science and manufacturing on Mars itself.
- Success in complex endeavors requires diversity, as exemplified by the 17 participating countries in the International Space Station.
- The fundamental challenge for reaching Mars is the logistics of supplies, requiring millions of pounds of mass for a multi-year trip.
- The guiding philosophy is to embrace diversity and remove internal/external boundaries, echoing the Star Trek ideal.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Space Radiation:** A concern for astronaut health during deep space travel, causing muscle, bone, and heart weakening.
- **Low Earth Orbit (LEO):** Orbit at an altitude of **220 miles** above Earth, where the ISS operates.
- **Earth Independence:** The final phase of Mars preparation, requiring humanity to function without constant resupply from Earth.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Mars Trip Duration:** The shortest orbital distance between Mars and Earth occurs roughly every **26 months** and takes about **9 months** to reach, plus **3 to 4 months** to return.
- **Phased Plan Structure:**
1. **Earth Alliance:** Focus on science and learning to travel short distances (a few hours/days).
2. **Cis-Lunar:** Validating capabilities for deeper space travel, with potential round trips taking several days.
3. **Earth Independent:** Building upon the ISS as an outpost or launching pad, with round trips potentially taking several months.
- **Technological Development:**
- **Robotic Precursive Initiative:** Using autonomous robots on the Martian surface (similar to Apollo's Ranger/Surveyor missions) to gather necessary data before human crews arrive.
- **EVS (Extravehicular Activities):** Astronauts moving outside the spacecraft to perform tasks, crucial for proving capabilities in lower gravity.
- **Asteroid Redirect:** A proposed mission to capture and move an asteroid, proving the capability to move large objects.
## Timeline & Sequence
- **1969:** Apollo 12 mission viewed by children in Brooklyn.
- **1950s:** Early motivation for space exploration.
- **1960s:** Apollo and Gemini missions.
- **1970s:** Viking missions.
- **1980s:** Use of the Space Shuttle.
- **1990s:** Sending little Rovers to space.
- **2000:** International Space Station established.
- **2014:** Orion conducted its first major launch capabilities test, orbiting Earth twice and splashing down in December.
- **2020s:** Projected decade for robotic precursor missions on Mars.
- **2030s:** President Obama's vision for human missions to Mars.
## Named Entities
- **Brooklyn, New York:** Location where the speaker first saw the Apollo 12 broadcast.
- **Jetson:** Reference to *The Jetsons* cartoon.
- **Lost in Space:** Reference to the *Lost in Space* series.
- **Dr Smith:** Character reference from *Lost in Space*.
- **Apollo 12:** Specific mission viewed in 1969.
- **Viking:** Missions conducted in the 1970s.
- **Sky Lab:** Space endeavor from the 1970s.
- **International Space Station:** Operational since 2000; involved 17 countries.
- **Star Trek:** Pop culture reference used to exemplify diversity.
- **Jean Roddenbery:** Mentioned in connection with *Star Trek* and diversity.
## Numbers & Data
- **1969:** Year the Apollo 12 mission was watched by children in Brooklyn.
- **2030s:** Target decade for human missions to Mars.
- **1950s:** Period of early interest in Mars travel.
- **60 M pounds:** Estimated total supplies needed for a six-man crew on a 2-year Mars trip.
- **54,000 pounds:** Average launch capability of the Space Shuttle.
- **10 trips per year:** Average rate for launching supplies into LEO.
- **6 years:** Estimated time required to deliver all necessary supplies into LEO via shuttles.
- **220 miles:** Altitude of Low Earth Orbit.
- **4.4 million pounds:** Estimated fuel required for the shuttle to operate in LEO.
- **100,000 pounds:** Payload capacity for the Saturn V rocket to the Moon.
- **65 million pounds:** Total weight required for the Saturn V launch.
## Examples & Cases
- **Apollo 12 viewing:** A small black and white television in a Brooklyn classroom captivating first graders.
- **Apollo/Gemini/Viking/Shuttle/ISS:** Chronological progression of US space achievements.
- **Ranger and Surveyor:** Early lunar rovers used to collect science assisting Apollo missions.
- **Star Trek diversity:** Used as a vision of diversity, showing *Star Trek: The Next Generation* imagery.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Space Launch System (SLS):** The proposed new vehicle to take humanity to the Moon first, proving capabilities before going to Mars.
- **Orion:** Future Crew Vehicle, slightly larger than Apollo vehicles for longer flights.
- **Lola instrument:** Instrument the speaker worked on, capable of creating high-resolution mapping down to **3 cm**.
- **Rovers:** Autonomous robots used for science collection and on-site construction/assistance.
- **Space Shuttle:** Previous launch vehicle, with an average launch capability of **54,000 pounds**.
- **Saturn V:** Previous large vehicle used for lunar missions, needing a total takeoff weight of **65 million pounds**.
## References Cited
- **President Kennedy:** Famous statement about going to the Moon being difficult.
- **Star Trek:** Referenced for its vision of diversity.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Shuttle vs. SLS:** SLS is necessary because the required mass for Mars missions overwhelms the capabilities of the Space Shuttle.
- **Mars vs. Moon:** The Moon is proposed as the necessary proving ground for the SLS before the final push to Mars.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- **Shuttle Limitation:** The Space Shuttle only averaged **54,000 pounds** of launch capability, making Mars sustainment infeasible in a single campaign.
- **Current Tech Limitation:** Current technology does not allow for a direct, fast, and comprehensive human trip to Mars as planned.
## Methodology
- **Historical Comparison:** Drawing lessons from the Apollo, Gemini, and ISS programs to build the Mars roadmap.
- **Phased Engineering:** Developing a multi-stage approach (Earth $\rightarrow$ Cis-Lunar $\rightarrow$ Independent) to manage risk and complexity.
- **Robotic Primacy:** Prioritizing autonomous robotic missions to gather data and perform precursor activities on Mars' surface.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The path to Mars requires robust, advanced systems (like SLS and Orion) and a commitment to proving capabilities through lunar and cis-lunar missions first.
- Human ambition must be guided by the scientific reality of required resources (fuel, life support, shielding) and the need for in-space manufacturing capability.
- To achieve the goal, humanity must embrace diversity and collaboration, viewing challenges like space travel as opportunities to inspire.
## Implications & Consequences
- International collaboration, as seen with the ISS (17 countries), is vital for solving the immense technical problems of deep space travel.
- Failure to innovate beyond Earth-based logistics means the Mars goal remains years away without breakthrough vehicle technology.
- The vision of limitless possibility, seen by astronauts looking back at Earth, must translate into action by embracing differences.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"we choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it's easy but because it is hard"* (President Kennedy's quote).
- *"I'm going to leave you with this thought my favorite saying is shoot for the moon or Mars and even if you miss you'll still be Among the Stars"* (Concluding saying).
- *"It took a partnership of 17 different countries"* (Referring to the ISS).
- *"I think about how to embrace the differences and the capabilities of each and every other person around you"* (On diversity).
- *"My horizons as a little girl growing up in New York in the Brooklyn hood and it helped to plant that seed"* (On early inspiration).
- *"3 million pounds of supplies"* (Required mass estimate).
- *"If it's not 3D, it's not real, according to Cameron."* (Appears in context of film/visualization, possibly conflated with another source but preserved).