By the middle of this century, humanity could set foot on Mars, and at the beginning of the next one – colonize it. Such a scenario reinforces the importance of space education. The new reality will require the transition of terrestrial technologies and the knowledge of experts in various fields into space. Not only will engineers and astronauts be needed, but also architects, biologists, cooks, or plumbers.
“In the last 10 to 20 years there has hardly been a day in the space industry when some mission or another event was not ongoing. We, as humanity, are getting closer to returning to the Moon and to a further expedition to Mars. The role of space education is tied to the fact that within a decade or two the space industry will be worth not 1 trillion dollars, but perhaps even 2 trillion dollars and will be seeking not only engineers and astronauts. We will need plumbers, welders, technicians, biologists, cooks – all these professions will be important. Also, architects and designers, because all conveniences that are essential for us here on Earth, will also be needed in space,” says Janet Ivey-Duensing, General Director of Janet’s Planet and Director of Education at Explore Mars, USA in an interview with Newseria Innovation agency.
Janet’s Planet runs a number of projects aimed at promoting space education. One of them is a tour of the Solar System – a show aimed at familiarizing spectators on how the Earth’s nearest surroundings in the Universe function.
“I believe that within the next 50 to 100 years, people will inhabit other planets. That’s why it’s so important to encourage today’s students to prepare for this future reality,” insists the expert. “The year 2100 may seem like a distant future, but look at it this way – today’s toddlers will live to see this year, and so they will be surrounded by a completely different reality.”
According to a report prepared by Explore Mars based on reports from space missions, it is evident that within the current decade, humans will return to the Moon, and possibly in the next decade – land on Mars, although this is most likely to happen in the middle of the century. Experts believe we need to prepare well for this.
“We already have rockets that can take us to Mars, but we don’t know if people can land there safely. We wouldn’t want to penetrate through the very thin atmosphere of Mars too quickly and collide violently with the surface. Therefore, we need to think about systems that will allow us to bring people safely there. Before us, robots should arrive there and prepare an appropriate living environment. It may be necessary to live underground, so all kinds of knowledge is necessary – from mining knowledge, through skills related to raising future generations of children who may be born on Mars, to space meteorology. It is not mentioned, but sandstorms can last for years on the Red Planet, so knowing when they can occur and knowing how to mitigate some problems is extremely important. We will not be able to immediately walk on Mars,” predicts Janet Ivey-Duensing.
As she emphasizes, even today, despite the fact that humanity has not been able to colonize other planets, it benefits from the experiences gained from space missions. Technologies utilizing the achievements of the space industry are widely used in everyday life.
“The phone we hold in our hands would not have been created if not for what we’ve learned and discovered in the exploration of space. Currently, a smartphone has more computing power than all the computers that took part in the launch of Apollo 11. Do you use GPS? You have it thanks to the space industry. Do you like to know when a storm is coming, and have you heard about climate change? That too is thanks to the space industry, because all these data we have from satellite photos. What happens in space already affects us,” says the CEO of Janet’s Planet. “Thinking about traveling to Mars, we have to start thinking together about what will happen, what it involves and, secondly, how it can benefit us on Earth. I hope that if we look to the future and today’s students start thinking about what innovations are needed for us to reach other planets, we can also improve our life on Earth.”
According to IMARC Group, the global market for deep space exploration will reach a value of $57.2 billion by 2032. In 2023 it was $36.3 billion. The main factors driving this market include an increase in government interest and improved budgets for space mission implementation.
