Polytechnique insights A REVIEW BY INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE PARIS
Polytechnique insights A REVIEW BY INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE PARIS
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π Space

Conquering Mars: realistic venture or a fantasy?

5 episodes
  • 1
    Voyage to Mars: myth or reality?
  • 2
    “Mars is the new American frontier”
  • 3
    “It's as much about going to Mars as it is about coming back!”
  • 4
    Europe’s role in the new space economy
  • 5
    How to explore space, ethically
Épisode 1/5

Voyage to Mars: myth or reality?
Pierre Henriquet, Doctor in Nuclear Physics and Columnist at Polytechnique Insights
On May 10th, 2023
4 min reading time
Pierre Henriquet
Pierre Henriquet
Doctor in Nuclear Physics and Columnist at Polytechnique Insights

Key takeaways

  • There are many constraints on the possibility of going to Mars, and living there, in the near future.
  • Radiation protection is a problem, because on Mars humans no longer benefit from the Earth's magnetic field, which deflects part of the cosmic rays.
  • Although new innovations have made it easier to provide food and water, it is still difficult to make them work over long periods.
  • Bone decalcification must also be considered because in space, astronauts lose an average of 1% of their bone mass per month.
  • A final point concerns the astronauts' mental state: no one can predict how they will react to the idea that no return to Earth is possible.
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Épisode 2/5

“Mars is the new American frontier”
Sophy Caulier, Independant journalist
On September 8th, 2021
4 min reading time
Francis Rocard
Francis Rocard
Astrophysicist and Head of Solar system exploration programmes at CNES

Key takeaways

  • Today, exploration projects are mainly concerned with Mars.
  • To achieve this, NASA's annual budget – currently around 22 billion dollars – must be quadrupled.
  • The current strategy is to start from lunar orbit using the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway (LOP-G), 380,000km from Earth.
  • The LOP-G will enable proof of concepts to be carried out, without which we will never know whether it is possible to go to Mars.
  • This phase could last up to two or even three decades and, while it lasts, will consume a large part of NASA’s budget.
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Épisode 3/5

“It's as much about going to Mars as it is about coming back!”
Sophy Caulier, Independant journalist
On September 8th, 2021
4 min reading time
Gerald Sanders
Gerald Sanders
In-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) system capability manager at NASA

Key takeaways

  • It takes three days to get to or from the Moon and the journey to Mars takes between six and eight months.
  • For long-duration space exploration missions, astronauts will have to find or produce enough resources to sustain themselves.
  • The In Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) programme is developing techniques to locate, extract, process and exploit local resources.
  • Today, developments are focusing on methane or hydrogen fuel production.
  • There are four main challenges: knowing what resources are available; how to exploit them; controlling the environment; and ensuring reliability of the project.
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Épisode 4/5

Europe’s role in the new space economy
Sophy Caulier, Independant journalist
On September 8th, 2021
4 min reading time
Stefaan de Mey
Stefaan de Mey
Senior Strategy officer for Human and robotic exploration at the European Space Agency (ESA)

Key takeaways

  • Today, activities in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) are 90% commercial and 10% institutional.
  • It is now a question of integrating the Moon and manned flights into this economy, which is starting with space tourism.
  • According to the Bank of America, the economic weight of the sector should increase from $350bn in 2016 to $1tn in 2040.
  • Europe has basic infrastructure for scientific experimentation in space, but it is not fully utilised.
  • This is a new market in which ESA wants to be present by offering commercial services in low-Earth orbit and preparing others for the “future lunar economy”.
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Épisode 5/5

How to explore space, ethically
Jacques Arnould, Responsible for ethical questions at CNES
On September 8th, 2021
4 min reading time
Jacques Arnould
Jacques Arnould
Responsible for ethical questions at CNES

Key takeaways

  • Since the launch of Sputnik the COSPAR (Committee on Space Research created in 1958), has developed rules to preserve exploration sites in space.
  • The measures taken consist of sterilisation operations and manoeuvres to both preserve the integrity of these sites and protect life on Earth.
  • Nevertheless, the French space agency, CNES, is the only one to have an in-house ethical expert: Jacques Arnould, a doctor in the history of science and theology.
  • He questions the way in which space exploration missions are carried out and their potential effects.
  • For example, if space is not for sale, who will guarantee the application of space law?

Contributors

Pierre Henriquet

Pierre Henriquet

Doctor in Nuclear Physics and Columnist at Polytechnique Insights

After a doctorate in Nuclear Physics applied to Medicine and a university degree in Astronomy/Astrophysics, Pierre Henriquet worked for 10 years at the Planetarium of the city of Vaulx-en-Velin where he perfected his talents as a science communicator with multiple audiences, both novices and specialists. Today, he is a freelance writer and mediator of science.

Other contributions

Quantum, the indispensable ally of modern medicine
Health, tech, space: quantum technology is already benefiting many sectors
Quantum physics has already changed the world
Space industry: what are the scientific and geopolitical challenges for Europe?
Voyage to Mars: myth or reality?
Voir toutes ses contributions
Sophy Caulier

Sophy Caulier

Independant journalist

Sophy Caulier has a degree in Literature (University Paris Diderot) and in Computer science (University Sorbonne Paris Nord). She began her career as an editorial journalist at 'Industrie & Technologies' and then at 01 Informatique. She is now a freelance journalist for daily newspapers (Les Echos, La Tribune), specialised and non-specialised magazines and websites. She writes about digital technology, economics, management, industry and space. Today, she writes mainly for Le Monde and The Good Life.

Other contributions

Mining resources on the moon for space missions
6G promises to merge the human and digital worlds
AI Act: how Europe wants to regulate machines
Machine Learning: can we correct biases?
“Decisions made by algorithms must be justified”
Voir toutes ses contributions
Jacques Arnould

Jacques Arnould

Responsible for ethical questions at CNES

Historian of science, agricultural engineer, theologian, Jacques Arnould has been in charge of ethical issues at the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) since 2001.

Other contributions

How to explore space, ethically

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