Moon or Mars? The United States may face a difficult choice for future missions

The optimal fuel path for Mars includes access when the two planets are approximately The opposite sides of the sun. This launch window is repeated every 18 months, and a nine -month flight means that any problems on the plane will need to be repaired by the crew, with no rescue option. Faster methods (nearly six months) can be achieved, but this becomes very thick for energy.

This is why the moon gate will be within reach, allowing astronauts to take off from the moon, away from the enormous gravity of the Earth, and heads to Mars from there. Of course, the portal must be sent to the moon gate first. But by dividing the energy requirements to the top Ways are slower but more efficient It can be used for a part of the Mars trip.

There is no doubt that with some works, Spacex He will be able to make a file Landing on Mars. But will they be able to take people safely there and restore them? As a company, the idea of ​​profit will be a strong factor, along with the safety of the astronaut. We just have to look at some of the most Boeing’s recent problems (Space pioneers at the International Space Station have been suspended for a period of seven months at the time of writing this report) to know that private companies may want to slow down when it comes to transporting people.

This is unlikely to happen with A large effect of musk In the White House administration, his colleague, billionaire Jared Ishaq (Special space pioneer)) As the new NASA president.

Critical decisions

So there are two options for NASA to choose: either to continue the Artemis and Gateway Lunar program, or the goal of Mars and mainly depends on Musk.

It is possible that the financing of both options means that it does not happen ever. Of course, the mission of Mars will be easier if The gate was already on the moon.

The timelines concerned here are important. Spacex stipulates that it will send five notes that are not available to Mars next year with It aims to send people to Mars in 2028. This looks ambitious, especially as it involves refueling in orbit, but if additional money and materials are placed in the project, this may be closer to that.

Since the moon gate will be built as soon as possible in 2027, it is unlikely to be operated in 2028 anyway. So giving priority to the Mars Group on the moon gate may actually make us to Mars faster – but it will be fraught with risks.

If the United States withdraws from plans to explore the moon, then other countries can expand their presence in those areas more easily – with the ability to get an easier way to launch it to Mars. This is likely to be in a much longer period of time, but if Musk fails to transfer humans to Mars in the next few years, these countries may have an advantage.