Why does the United States launch a Mars exploration program?

The significance of Mars exploration

Exploration of this planet’s closest neighbor will help answer many basic questions about the history of the Earth, enhance the United States’ dominant position and attract more children to Science generates interest. Such exploration will also bring people closer to the answer to the ultimate question: Are we alone in the universe? As Alden Munson, senior fellow at the Potomac Policy Institute, a technology think tank based in Arlington, Virginia, said: "This is a search for the meaning of life."

Historically, the United States has a close relationship with Mars. This history goes all the way back to Lowell, who in the 1890s pointed his telescope at Mars and thought he saw some kind of complex network-like structure. He thought these were canals on Mars that must have been Built by a civilized society on Mars. Of course he never met these "Martians", but "Martians" have become the protagonists of science fiction novels ever since.

It was not until 1965 that people on Earth observed the face of this mysterious planet up close for the first time. This year, the Mariner 4 spacecraft launched by NASA passed near Mars, and its camera took photos of Mars. What people see from these blurry photos is a dead planet that is somewhat similar to the moon - no water and no signs of geological activity, which are the two most important conditions for the existence of life. But in subsequent detections, people's views changed. In 1972, NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft became the first Mars artificial satellite. It was discovered that Mars has the highest volcano in the solar system, the largest canyon in the solar system, and traces of winding ancient rivers. All of this shows that this planet Planets have far more complex geological systems than we imagine.

After that, the United States conducted many Mars orbiting and landing expeditions, such as the Viking project in the 1970s, and later the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rover projects. After extensive exploration, scientists have gradually discovered that Mars can serve as an excellent reference laboratory for studying Earth's climate and geophysics. Research has proven that Mars has always had a much warmer and wetter climate in its distant geological history than it does today. It may have been a land suitable for life a long time ago. As planetary scientists gathered at the National Academy of Sciences recently to discuss research plans for the next decade, the search for habitable environments on Mars was again at the top of the list.

For practical reasons

David Paige is a planetary scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has been working on the moon and terrestrial planets for many years Research work. He said: "If life exists or has existed on Mars, it means that life is not special and can also appear elsewhere. And if it turns out that Mars is indeed barren and barren, then the Earth will appear stronger than before. More unique." But some experts question the wisdom of focusing so much on one planet. They point out that there are many other targets in the solar system, such as Jupiter's icy moon Europa. The planet is covered with a thick layer of ice, and the ocean below the ice may have environmental conditions that support life; and Saturn's moon Titan, which is rich in organic compounds, is also worthy of in-depth exploration. "It's like a kid who has lost his house keys and is looking for them under a streetlight," said David Jewitt, a UCLA scientist who studies comets and asteroids. One thing that must be kept in mind when considering this issue is that research funding for planetary science is very limited, and even those who support the need for more widespread exploration acknowledge that Mars remains a most realistic Detect target.

For example, to implement a project to conduct an expedition to Europa, it will take 6 years just to deliver the probe to its destination. In comparison, the Curiosity Mars rover The one-way journey only takes 8 months. Europa also has other disadvantages, such as high-energy charged particles from Jupiter's magnetic field that could destroy a spacecraft's electronic systems in just a few weeks. As Richard Greenberg, a planetary scientist from the University of Arizona who specializes in studying these icy moons in the outer solar system, said: "I personally like Europa very much. But objectively speaking, Europa and Mars are both good places to search for signs of life.”

The value of space exploration

Whether scientists can ultimately find life beyond Earth, the Mars exploration project has indeed enhanced it. American prestige. As Musson said: "Many of the heart-warming moments felt by people around the world come from space exploration projects. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately calculate the value brought by a space exploration program." Space exploration projects It is the ultimate status symbol. China and India have demonstrated their technological prowess through successful space programs. Even Iran, Pakistan, Venezuela, Israel, Mexico and more than a dozen other countries are eager to try and make a mark in this field. "If we stop planning for Mars, it could take decades to get back to it," said Adam B. Schiff, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasa, California. Diener's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the command center for NASA's Mars exploration program. He said: "We have the expertise required. No other country in the world can do this." This is indeed the case. NASA has implemented 13 successful Mars exploration projects since 1964. There were another 5 failures. In contrast, the former Soviet Union (Russia after 1991) had a series of bad luck in its Mars exploration program. The country has experienced 15 major failures and only 4 achieved partial success. .

Mussen also said that compared to the money spent by the United States on other space projects, the Mars exploration project only accounts for a small part of the amount. He pointed out that in 2011 alone, NASA spent more than $4 billion on the International Space Station and space shuttle projects, and the James Webb Space Telescope project, designed as the successor to the active Hubble Space Telescope, NASA has already It paid $8.8 billion. This seems like a staggering expense, but if you look at the U.S. Department of Defense's budget allocation for 2012 alone, the amount of more than $600 billion would eclipse any NASA project. Jewett said: Americans spend $7 billion every year on potato chips. And Page also said: "For the Mars project, what we are talking about is only a very small cost." But even so, in the frenzy of the American election year, politicians still feel that these scientific projects are The money is "too wasteful" and they can't find any reason to spend it on Mars exploration. As long as the U.S. government remains heavily in debt and the demands of many American people are not met, it will remain so.

But this time, when Curiosity is about to launch its feat of landing on Mars, it seems difficult to find someone willing to publicly criticize the Mars exploration project. But in 2004, when President George W. Bush pushed for an ambitious space program that would include a manned mission to Mars, Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut criticized it. Spending billions of dollars on Mars would be better spent on Earth, improving the health care, education, and public safety of the American people. Robert Zubrin, an aerospace engineer and founder of the American Mars Society, said: Even those who are interested in Mars and excited about the birth of Curiosity have raised concerns about whether NASA will " All eggs are put in one basket.

"The Mars Society is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting the implementation of manned Mars flight plans.