Manned orbital astronautics is a kind of test for a country to become a superpower. For humanity, such a test could be the exploration of nearby cosmic bodies. solar system. For example, a flight to Mars and colonization of the planet.
Why does humanity need a megaproject?
IN last years the feasibility of space flights is considered from a commercial and military-defense perspective. The worsening global economic crisis has reduced the number of scientific projects to a minimum. Our closest “neighbors” - the Moon and Mars - are still waiting for their researchers. Colonization of any of these cosmic bodies is very important for the formation of new long-term prospects for the existence of humanity. It became obvious that the development of astronautics within the framework of competition between powers is not capable of bringing scientific and technical progress to a qualitatively new stage.
Colonization of Mars is not a government or national project. This is a good motivational challenge for the entire planetary civilization.
Why Mars
Well, at least because back in 1963, in the film “Towards a Dream,” a song performed by V. Troshin stated that apple trees would soon bloom on a neighboring planet. Now let's get serious.
The length of a day on Mars is approximately equal to that on Earth (24.6 hours). One revolution around the Sun takes about 687 days. with a pronounced change of seasons. The climate on the planet is drier and colder. The surface temperature, taking into account seasonal and daily changes, ranges from -140˚С to +20˚С (average value -50˚С). An atmosphere thickness of 110 km significantly reduces the influence of radioactive solar radiation. And although most air envelope consists of carbon dioxide (95%), the basic elements that are required for human life support are present.
If we consider the Moon and Mars as objects for expansion, colonization of the Earth’s satellite is not capable of ensuring sustainable evolution future civilization. Good example from history - the study of Greenland and the American continent during the era of the Great Geographical Expeditions. The largest island is certainly closer to Europe and has been known for a long time, but the extremely poor environment precludes any development potential.
In addition to the noble task of uniting humanity and consolidating the efforts of all states to implement the settlement of the “red planet”, during the project many problems of the present and future of our cosmic cradle will be solved:
- Preservation of civilization and cultural heritage in case of global natural disaster on the ground.
- The functioning of alien colonies will require high-quality new level not only industrial technologies, but also social ones. It will be necessary to develop and create fundamentally new social relations.
- The external space base will be a good launching pad for flight and exploration of the distant environs of the solar system.
- Colonization of Mars is one of the options for solving demographic problems and significantly expanding the resource base.
- The Red Planet is an excellent testing ground for new energy sources, the development of planetary engineering, climate control practices, etc.
Perhaps, from a commercial point of view, the colonization of Mars does not promise immediate profit. Space still holds many mysteries, disappointments and discoveries.
Where to begin
No matter how trite it sounds - from a detailed study of the planet. According to statistics, more than 2/3 of all space probe launches to Mars end in failure. Today, six interplanetary automatic stations are in Martian orbits, two rovers are plowing the surface of the planet, and this is clearly not enough. A thorough study of the atmosphere, landscape, and resource availability of the planet is necessary, at least in the places of the proposed landing.
According to scientists, the equatorial regions of Mars are considered the most promising for development, and proven reserves of water (in the form of ice) are concentrated in high latitudes. If further research into the planet’s hydrosphere does not bring positive results, then providing water resources to the first settlers could become a serious problem.
No problems - there are tasks
Experts say that with appropriate funding for the project, it is possible to fly to Mars even tomorrow. Colonization involves solving several very important issues.
It is worth considering options for adapting migrants to the planet’s gravity. It is significantly lower than what is usual for earthlings (38%). For a person, this threatens atrophy muscle tissue and a decrease in the density of bone formations. Degenerative changes can lead to a serious disease - osteoporosis.
The red planet's atmosphere is an order of magnitude thinner than Earth's and there is virtually no magnetic field. If you do not use protective equipment, in a couple of days on Mars you can receive the same dose of radiation as on Earth in a year.
Another difficulty - huge distance. Earthly technologies do not allow reaching the nearest outer planet in less than 250 days. Work on creating more efficient engines for such a flight is being carried out by the private corporation SpaceX. The minimum time for the exchange of radio messages between the Earth and Martian station- 6.2 min. (maximum - up to 45 minutes).
The listed negative factors are often used by public criticism to condemn the project. Colonization of Mars should start with the study of these issues.
In word and deed
There are a lot of options and projects for populating the Martian expanses. Founder and Chief Engineer SpaceX (USA) - Elon Musk, at the last 67th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation (2016, Guadalajara, Mexico), shared plans for the exploration of Mars. In 2018, the Red Dragon mission will launch, which will send the first cargo and equipment to the planet. Design documentation is ready for a ship capable of delivering up to 100 colonizers and 450 tons of luggage. The ship's lifespan is up to 15 flights to Mars. Colonization, according to SpaceX, will take from 40 to 100 years, by the end of which the population of the alien base could reach a million people. Elon Musk is convinced that the first people will set foot on the red planet no later than 2022.
Colonization online
The head of the private project Mars One, Bas Lansdorp (Netherlands), assures about the serious intentions of his “brainchild”. Funding is based on income from television broadcasts of the selection of volunteers, ground training, flight and landing on Mars (“Dom-2” on a cosmic scale).
By 2015, out of more than 200 thousand people who wanted to say goodbye to the Earth, 100 candidates were selected, including 5 Russians. The result of further tests will be the formation of six groups of 4 people. The launch of an interplanetary communications satellite is planned for 2018. Then, at intervals of two years, an automated rover will be sent to Mars and cargo Ship life support. Crews are planned to depart at the same intervals. The first one will land on the red expanses, according to the organizers’ plans, in 2025.
Many experts are critical not only of the technical component of the project, but also of the financial and organizational ones.
Project No. 11
Domestic politicians and the scientific and technical elite are also convinced that the colonization of Mars would serve as a good incentive for the development of Russia. "Project State" - a portal of public initiatives to create a powerful world power, assigns this project a leading role in the work of the Far Eastern Space Center (Vostochny Cosmodrome).
According to the founder and organizer of the resource, Yuri Krupnov, our country has lost its leadership in space exploration, having become content with the role of a “space driver.” In the USA and Europe is coming rapid renewal of the rocket and space fleet. Our own powerful launch vehicles will allow Western partners to leave Russia “overboard” for many international programs. It's a shame that neither Roscosmos nor the government has any strategic space research program.
P.S. Let's hope that Phobos Grunt 2 will carry out its mission safely and not burn up in dense layers atmosphere (like its predecessor at No. 1) at the very beginning of the journey!
The main process taking place in the noosphere is the steady, ever-accelerating accumulation of information. It is information that today is already recognized by humanity as the greatest wealth that belongs to it, as its main, continuously increasing capital. The amount of information characterizes the degree of diversity of a given object and the level of its organization. By intelligently influencing the nature around him, man creates a second, artificial “nature”, characterized by greater orderliness, and therefore big amount information than the natural environment. The accumulation of such production information in the noosphere is the result of human production activity, the result of the interaction of nature and society.
But society is capable of accumulating information not only in the means and products of labor, but also in the system scientific knowledge. By exploring the world, a person enriches himself and the noosphere with scientific information. This means that the source of information accumulation in the noosphere is the transformative and cognitive activity of man. “The main process of accumulation of information in the noosphere,” says A.D. Ursul, “is associated with the assimilation of diversity due to the external nature surrounding society, as a result of which the volume and mass of the noosphere can increase without limit.”
The expansion of the noosphere into space is currently expressed in the receipt of scientific information about space with the help of astronauts and automata. There is no doubt, however, that over time space production will also arise, i.e., the practical exploration of celestial bodies, the remaking of one’s neighbor, and perhaps deep space by the will of man. Then production information will also come from space, the first rudiments of which, in principle, already exist (for example, exploration of the lunar interior, study of lunar soil). Near space will eventually become a place for human habitation and work. The noosphere will first cover the celestial bodies closest to the Earth, and then, perhaps, the entire solar system. How will this happen? What are the near and long-term prospects for space exploration?
Already today thousands of satellites orbit the Earth. Long-term orbital stations with shift personnel began to operate in near-Earth orbits. In the future, some of them will probably take over the functions of refueling stations for interplanetary manned rockets. It will also become possible to assemble spacecraft in low-Earth orbits from blocks previously delivered to the “construction” area. Satellite family different types and appointments will provide humanity with constant scientific information about events in space and on Earth.
Already three celestial bodies (the Moon, Venus and Mars) have temporarily acquired their own artificial satellites before our eyes. The creation of such satellites is apparently an inevitable stage in the exploration of planets (along with the preliminary sending of probes to the vicinity of the celestial body being studied and to its surface). There is every reason to think that this sequence will continue in the future, so that by the end of the century, perhaps, most of the planets will be watched by their watchful eyes artificial satellites.
Lunar rovers and Mars rovers (and planetary rovers in general), along with automatic stationary stations that softly landed on the surface of the celestial bodies being studied, will become the third line of automatic machines (after “fly-by” probes with a hard landing) studying neighboring worlds. There is no doubt that their improvement will lead to the emergence of space automata that will be able to perform almost any task in space, in particular, taking off from planets and returning to Earth (as, for example, it was on the Moon). There are no fundamentally insoluble difficulties on this path, but there are huge technical problems, the main of which, perhaps, is to create compact, lightweight and at the same time effective traction systems.
The advantages of space automata are obvious. They are not as sensitive to the harsh space environment as humans, and their use does not risk human casualties. Interplanetary automatic stations much lighter than manned spacecraft, which provides economic benefits at launch. Although there are other advantages of automata over humans, the exploration of the solar system will, of course, be carried out not only by automata, but also by people. And here you can find many analogies from earthly experience.
Exploration of Antarctica began with voyages near its shores. They were followed by short-term landings on the shore and expeditions inland up to South Pole. Finally, before our eyes, permanent research stations (with rotating staff) have settled in Antarctica. It is possible that over time the systematic settlement of Antarctica will begin, accompanied by a change in its nature in a direction favorable for humans.
The moon is much harsher than Antarctica. But although it is separated from the Earth by more than a third of a million kilometers, it has begun to develop much more at a fast pace than the southernmost earthly continent. At first (since 1959), space probes flew near the Moon. Then the first artificial satellites appeared around the Moon. They were followed by hard landings. Finally, the spacecraft softly descended onto the lunar surface, prefacing the first lunar expeditions with this reconnaissance of the neighboring world. What will happen next is not difficult to predict. After a series of new expeditions by lunar rovers and cosmonauts, which will collect sufficiently detailed information about the neighboring world, first temporary, then permanent scientific stations will probably appear on the Moon. The next step in the exploration of the Moon will probably be expressed in its gradual settlement, in the creation of permanent power plants, in the development of the lunar industry, in the widespread use of local resources of matter and energy.
There are two ways for a person to adapt to the hostile conditions of the space environment. In the cabins of spaceships, life support systems create a miniature “branch of the Earth”, earthly comfort. On a microscale, spacesuits perform the same function. In the first stages of exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies, this technique will continue to remain the only possible one. But, “having gained a foothold on the Moon, having built the first lunar dwellings, the nature of the life support system reminiscent of the cabins of spaceships, humanity may begin to reorganize the Moon itself, to artificially create an environment suitable for habitation on it on a global scale. In other words, not a passive adaptation to the external hostile space environment, but its change in a direction favorable to man, the active remaking of the external environment in an “Earth-like” spirit - this is the second way to ensure the possibility of the settlement of humanity in space.
Of course, the second path is more difficult than the first. In some cases it is not feasible or, to be more careful, it seems impossible within the framework of the technology known to us. For example, creating a permanent atmosphere around the Moon using gases obtained artificially from lunar rocks seems to be an unrealistic, fantastic project, mainly due to the weakness of lunar gravity. Heaviness on lunar surface 6 times less than the earth's and the artificial lunar atmosphere should quickly evaporate. But the same project for Mars is completely feasible in principle, and one can think that someday the efforts of mankind will turn Mars into a second small Earth.
Of all the planets in the solar system, Mars is likely to be the first to be “colonized.” No matter how severe its lunar-like appearance, unexpectedly revealed by astronautics for astronomers, nevertheless, in terms of its totality of characteristics, Mars is closest to the Earth. Manned flights to Mars and the landing of the first expedition on Mars are planned until 2000. However, Mars has already acquired artificial satellites and Soviet automatic stations have softly descended onto its surface. This happened just a few years after reaching a similar stage in the study of the Moon, despite the fact that even at its closest approach to Earth, Mars is almost 150 times further away Moons - fact significant, again illustrating the unusually rapid progress of astronautics.
If we had an engine that would give spaceship acceleration is 9.8 m/s 2 , then Mars could be reached in just a week. Now you can’t even see the approach to technical solution such a task, but can it be said that in the future the means of interplanetary communications will remain the same as today? However, if we're talking about about Mars, then at modern level mastering the technology is quite possible. It is likely that the settlement of Mars will be preceded by the same stages as the settlement of the Moon. But we know this distant world much worse than the neighboring celestial body, and surprises are sure to await us on Mars. For this reason (and also because of the remoteness of Mars), its exploration will likely take longer than exploration of the Moon.
The latest data about Venus does not encourage us to visit it, much less settle it. A pressure of 10 MPa at a temperature of 500 °C is what is typical for the surface of Venus. Add to this a constant dense veil of clouds, creating twilight on the surface of the planet even at noon, winds in a suffocating atmosphere of carbon dioxide, probably complete absence water and, finally, perhaps the most powerful volcanic eruptions - such is the situation on Venus, in comparison with which fantastic pictures of hell illustrate the poverty of human imagination. Of course, research on Venus will continue, in particular probing of its surface. But an expedition to Venus, at least in the foreseeable future, is out of the question.
The extreme planets of the solar system - Mercury and Pluto - clearly demonstrate the extremes in the physical situation on the planets. On the day side of Mercury, temperatures at noon can rise to 510 °C. Temperatures on poorly studied Pluto appear to always be close to absolute zero. Both planets are significantly smaller in size than Earth. To an observer on Mercury, the Sun appears 2.5 times larger in diameter than from Earth. In the sky of Pluto, the Sun is only the brightest star, although it illuminates Pluto 50 times more powerfully than the Moon does on the Earth during a full moon. Both planets will undoubtedly be studied by automata in the relatively near future. They will turn out to be convenient objects for the operation of long-term automatic scientific stations on their surface. As for expeditions to Mercury and Pluto, if they take place, it will most likely only be in the distant future: the situation on these planets is too unusual and hostile for earthly creatures and it is unlikely that they will ever be inhabited by humans.
Even more unsuitable for this purpose (or better yet, completely unsuitable) are the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They mainly consist of hydrogen (in the free state and in combination with nitrogen and carbon). It is possible that they do not have solid surfaces at all in the terrestrial sense of the word, that is, they are entirely gaseous, although in the depths of giant planets the densities of gases can be very high. These bodies are physical nature occupy an intermediate position between stars and planets earth type. They are somewhat below the mass of stars and therefore their interiors are not hot enough for the proton-proton cycle to occur. They are distinguished from terrestrial planets by the abundance of light elements with an extremely small proportion of heavy ones. Their atmospheres, consisting of hydrogen, methane and ammonia, are enormously thick, and large mass The giant planets are caused by colossal pressure in the depths of their atmospheres.
Probing of the giant planets by spacecraft has already begun (flights of the Pioneer-10 and Pioneer-11 vehicles). With some favorable location of the giant planets, it is possible to send a probe that in a relatively short time (about nine years) can fly around all the giant planets, whereas a normal flight to Neptune alone would take about 30 years. The secret of this project, called “interplanetary billiards,” is that the probe accelerates in the vicinity of their giant planets. gravitational field. Each of the planets acts as an accelerator, which significantly reduces the flight time. Using this method, American automatic stations have already examined Saturn and Uranus. It is, of course, quite possible to send automatic probes into the atmospheres of these planets and to create artificial satellites around them (as around Venus, Mercury and Pluto). Instead of the physically impossible settlement of giant planets, humanity may use these bodies as practically inexhaustible reserves of fuel for future thermonuclear reactors.
The main ones natural satellites giant planets are comparable in size to Mercury and even Mars. Some of them are surrounded by an atmosphere consisting of methane and carbon dioxide. They are more similar to the Earth than their planets, and it is possible that the exploration of these bodies will follow the same path as the exploration of the Moon and Mars. The organization of scientific stations and fuel refueling bases on the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn may become necessary when exploring the outskirts of the solar system. In principle, all satellites of the planets are accessible not only to automatic machines, but also to astronauts.
Minor planets (asteroids) and comets will probably not be avoided by humanity. Both humans and robots can land on the largest asteroids and planetary satellites. Smaller bodies may be of interest as sources of fuel for space rockets (comet nuclei are composed of frozen ice of water, methane and ammonia) or as mineral resources (asteroids). It is quite possible that the future will pose challenges for humanity that we have not the slightest idea about.
The exploration of the solar system is not only about flying to planets and their satellites, but also about populating some of them with people and automata. Our planet Earth will also have to be remade according to the tastes and requirements of humanity. We don’t like everything in our “cosmic cradle”. While humanity was in an “infant” state, we had to put up with this. But now humanity has “matured” so much that it has not only left its “cradle”, but also felt the strength to radically remake its own planet.
There is no shortage of artificial climate change projects. For example, it is proposed to block the Bering Strait with a dam and pump it with nuclear pumps warm water Pacific Ocean V Arctic Ocean. There are many projects to change the direction of the Gulf Stream, in particular using it to warm the North American coast. There are projects to “revive” the Sahara and other desert areas of the Earth. All these projects have one drawback in common - they poorly take into account the consequences of the implementation of each project, while they can turn out to be catastrophic (for example, the turn of the Gulf Stream to the coast of North America will cause glaciation of Europe). Projects of extensive reservoirs, new canals and, in general, any major artificial changes in the physical nature of the Earth, including artificial reduction of cloudiness or abundant sprinkling, suffer from the same defects.
There is no doubt that man will remake the Earth in his own way, but this remaking must be preceded by a thorough, scientifically based prediction of the consequences of human intervention in the established balance of natural phenomena. Not yet able to remake its own planet, humanity is nevertheless discussing radical projects to remake the entire solar system. Our self-confidence can, perhaps, be justified by the fact that the implementation of these projects is a matter of the distant future, an incredibly difficult task for which we must prepare in advance.
In astronomy, it is customary to call planets heavenly lands. The convention of this term is now obvious: even in our solar system, strictly speaking, not a single planet is like the Earth. Remaking the solar system, apparently as main goal will pursue the correction of this “lack of nature.” To put it more clearly, humanity will probably build artificial, habitable structures around the Sun that make maximum use of the planets' material reserves and the life-giving energy of the Sun. We find the origins of this idea in K. E. Tsiolkovsky in his project to create artificial terrestrial planets or much smaller “space greenhouses.” From a (purely quantitative) point of view, the supply of matter in the giant planets alone would be enough to produce several hundred “artificial earths” or several hundred thousand “cosmic greenhouses.” In principle, it would be possible to transfer all of them to orbits closer to the Sun. The trouble is that giant planets are qualitatively unsuitable for this purpose: you cannot build “artificial earths” from hydrogen or other gases (unless, of course, this construction is preceded by thermonuclear fusion of heavy elements).
Some authors (I.B. Bestuzhev-Lada and, independently of him, F. Dyson) proposed surrounding the Sun with a gigantic artificial sphere, on the inside of which to accommodate a very large humanity by that time. Such a sphere would completely capture the radiation of the Sun and this energy would become one of the main energy bases former earthlings (“former” because the construction of such a sphere would, perhaps, have to use up the substance of all the planets, including the Earth). Several years ago, it was shown that the Dyson sphere is dynamically unstable, and therefore unsuitable for habitation.
Some projects propose, without leaving our “cradle” and “without pulverizing it,” to build up the Earth from the outside using the substance of other planets. Obviously, with such an increase in more and more new floors, the force of gravity will progressively increase, which will greatly complicate not only the construction of a “new Earth”, but also the habitation of excessively “heavy” people on it. In the projects of Professor G.I. Pokrovsky, instead of the Dyson sphere, stable solid dynamic structures are proposed, which, perhaps, will be created around the Sun from the substance of the planets. In all these projects, which seem completely fantastic, the basic idea is certainly true: the exploration of the solar system by humanity will be completed only when it fully and in the most convenient way uses the matter and energy of this system. Then the noosphere will probably occupy the entire circumsolar space.
For modern stage Astronautics is characterized by the creation of generations of orbital stations of gradually more complex designs. These are Soviet stations"Salyut" and "Peace". The American scientist O'Neill has developed designs for very large habitable space structures of the cylindrical type. It is assumed that tens of thousands of earthlings will be able to live in such orbital stations, where an earth-like environment should be created. Of course, O'Neill's intention to gradually move into his "cylinders" looks utopian » most of the Earth's population, but that such super-large orbital stations will appear in near-Earth orbits, there can hardly be any doubt that artificial gravity will be created at such stations due to their rotation. The period of frivolous enthusiasm for weightlessness has long passed. that weightlessness is a serious obstacle to the widespread exploration of the solar system. With prolonged weightlessness, the number of red blood cells in the blood decreases, calcium salts leave the body, which gradually destroys the skeleton, so the fight against weightlessness is just beginning.
Remaking the solar system requires enormous amounts of energy. Today it is clear that this energy will be provided by extraterrestrial orbital solar power plants. Outside the atmosphere they will be constantly illuminated by the Sun and bad weather won't bother them. It's possible that solar energy It would be advisable to first convert it into electromagnetic energy (microwave radiation), which is then transmitted to Earth using a reflector. Engineering projects of orbital solar power plants show that tomorrow it is possible to create such stations in orbits that will not be inferior in power to the largest hydroelectric power stations on earth. Y. Golovanov talks about this convincingly and fascinatingly in his book “The Architecture of Weightlessness,” which the author warmly recommends to the reader.
Thus, today humanity already has the means necessary to explore the solar system. It is known that this exploration is part of K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s famous plan for space exploration as a whole. How realistic K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s plans are philosophically is described in the book of the famous Soviet philosopher Academician A. D. Ursul. Before our eyes, according to the logic of the development of astronautics, an industry is emerging in space. One of its immediate tasks is to use the resources of the planetary interior.
Use of planetary interiors
The subsoil played an important role in the evolution of life on Earth. As already mentioned, the very emergence of life on our planet was apparently caused by the eruption of the contents of the earth’s interior to the surface (hypotheses of E.K. Markhinin and L.M. Mukhin). When, in the course of evolution, civilization reached a sufficiently high technical level, the widespread use of the earth's interior began. Nowadays, it has become obvious to everyone that the Earth’s resources, alas, are exhaustible and that, say, the fuel supply in the bowels of the earth(at the current rate of production growth) there will be enough for humanity for at most 100-150 years, and oil - even less. K. E. Tsiolkovsky said correctly that only our ignorance forces us to use fossil fuels. Consequently, humanity will have to switch from fossil fuels to other types of energy (for example, solar) in the next century. Turning to the bodies of the Solar System, we first of all state that the interiors of the planets and their large satellites are rich deposits of minerals. Industrial development of subsoil will probably begin from the Moon. In various projects, it is assumed that the Moon will primarily mine the metals necessary for construction: aluminum and titanium, as well as silicon. According to O'Neill's project, electromagnetic catapults will be able to transfer mined materials from the Moon to the construction area. According to his calculations, 150 people are enough to send a million tons of raw materials and supplies from the Moon. It is assumed that a special “trap” will be built in space that will grab the lunar parcels needed for “ethereal settlements.” How serious these projects are is evidenced by the fact that O’Neil’s projects were recently reviewed and approved by NASA specialists, who published official document"Space civilization - design study", in which all of O'Neil's calculations were recognized as correct. There is no doubt that, following the example of the Moon, the raw materials resources of other planets will begin to be developed over time. Earth-type planets have subsoil resources that are probably reminiscent of those on Earth. For giant planets, the main wealth is abundance hydrogen, practically inexhaustible for thermonuclear installations.
Among the asteroids there may be those that contain large reserves of iron or other metals. Already today there are projects to tow such asteroids to the vicinity of the Earth, where they will undergo careful development. Soviet scientist A.T. Ulubekov thoroughly investigated the issue of the wealth of extraterrestrial resources. This work shows that humanity, in the words of K. E. Tsiolkovsky, can really acquire an “abyss of power” in the course of the systematic exploration of the Solar system. Back in 1905, K. E. Tsiolkovsky, in his work “A jet device as a means of flight in emptiness and the atmosphere,” wrote: “Working on jet devices, I had peaceful and lofty goals: to conquer the Universe for the benefit of man, to conquer space and energy, "emitted by the Sun." But on the way to this bright future these days there are dark forces evil that threatens to destroy all life on our planet.
5-04-2017, 12:45
Space has always attracted the inhabitants of the Earth with its uncertainty and infinity. Just think how many unexplored objects exist in outer space and how much more we will have to surf the expanses of space in order to identify and study them. Obsession colonization of other planets is already for a long time doesn't leave scientists astronomers from NASA. And even though the predictions about the end of the world in 2012 did not come true, representatives of the scientific world still admit such a situation, as a result of which the population of the Earth will need to be transported to other planets. This is how colonization begins. However, the main question remains where exactly it would be rational for earthlings to “move”. Which planets of the solar system are most suitable for the life of earthlings? The answers to these questions can be found below.
Numerous studies of the atmosphere, soils, and surface of the Earth provide certain criteria, by which astronomers determine how similar a particular planet is to ours and how suitable and comfortable its conditions will be for humans. Experts examined the data and compiled the TOP-5 list of planets that could be inhabited by humanity in the event of a global catastrophe that would destroy all favorable conditions for life on Earth.
1st place: Mars
Yes, it is the red planet that tops the list of the most “benevolent” planets. This means that the conditions on Mars are most favorable for colonization. For example, the first advantage of Mars is the ability to produce food resources and oxygen directly on site. This factor will allow us to complete the task of terraforming and contribute to the creation of living conditions similar to those on Earth. The second advantage of the red planet is that the length of the day is only 24 hours and 39 minutes. It will be easy for humanity and animals to adapt to such conditions, because it is only 39 minutes more than on Earth. The third, and perhaps one of the important advantages, is the presence of water. Without water, humanity cannot live, because Mars is favorable, because it has water resources in your arsenal. In addition to all this, the soil of Mars is suitable for growing terrestrial plants, and in the depths of the earth's covers there is huge amount minerals. This will allow humanity to develop mining and manufacturing. However, despite big row advantages, planet Mars has its disadvantages. For example, a weak magnetic field that cannot provide due protection from radiation. The next disadvantage of Mars is the air temperature, which is -55 degrees Celsius. It is unlikely that anyone will live comfortably in such a cold environment. And finally, there is a high probability of meteorite falling. A weak magnetic field will not protect the planet and prevent meteorite falls, which also creates a potential danger. In the meantime, Mars is the most suitable planet for the colonization of earthlings.
2nd place: Titan
Yes, it is this satellite of Saturn that is the second most favorable conditions for possible colonization. According to recent research, Titan contains hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. In essence, this is everything that is necessary for life. A strong magnetic field will provide protection against radiation and external factors, the planet also has water resources and is suitable for producing rocket fuel. The planet is rich in oil. It is concentrated in lakes and there is an enormous amount of it there. Such conditions will allow people to establish fuel production, chemical industry in the future. However, even Titan has a number of its disadvantages. For example, the first one can be called low pressure, which is not characteristic of the Earth. Adapting to such conditions may take some time. Titan also has low air temperatures and a high content of hydrogen cyanide. Titan has very low gravity, which is 7 times lower than Earth's. This factor can seriously harm people's health.
3rd place: Venus
One of the hottest planets, according to scientists, is also suitable for colonization, if necessary. The planet is covered with dense clouds, which are responsible for high temperatures. The prolongation keeps the temperature at 477 degrees Celsius, but scientists are confident that if the problem with the clouds is solved, Venus will be able to provide quite favorable conditions for the earthling population. In addition, getting to Venus will not be difficult, because it is close to Earth. Venus is similar in dimension to Earth, but its distinctive features cast doubt on its beneficence. For example, the planet has no water resources. This is perhaps one of the main problems, because water resources are necessary for the normal life of earthlings. Also, if dense clouds are removed, the planet may be exposed to radiation, because the magnetic field of Venus is also weak and will not be able to provide the proper level of protection. Another difference between Venus will be the length of the day, which is equal to 58.5 Earth days. Scientists do not lose hope and are developing specific methods that will allow them to fight clouds, high temperature and long days. However, in the future, Venus may well become a platform for the life of earthlings.
4th place: Moon
Yes, yes, it was the Moon that was placed in 4th place. Why so far, you ask? There are a number of reasons for this, which we will talk about now. The only advantages of the Earth's satellite are the presence of water, which is concentrated at the poles and proximity to the Earth. This is where the benefits end. Among the disadvantages of the Moon are a weak magnetic field and the lack of an atmosphere suitable for life. The next one negative factor is the presence of lunar dust, which penetrates into human lungs and causes harm. Making the Moon suitable for life will be quite difficult, however, if necessary, it is possible, although it will take a lot of time and effort.
5th place: Proxima Centauri b
The least attractive exoplanet for colonization, which was discovered in 2016. Proxima Centauri beta orbits the star Proxima Centauri and is the only colonizable planet that is outside the solar system. The average temperature of the planet is -40 degrees Celsius, and the length of one year is equal to 11 Earth days. The exoplanet faces its star with only one side, so it is always day on one half of the planet and night on the other. The advantage is its relatively close location to Earth, because it will be possible to reach the planet in more than 4 light years. So far there is no confirmation of signs of life on the planet, but scientists do not lose hope and plan to explore the planet Proxima Centauri beta in more detail.
Programs to populate other planets are now a common trend among astronomers, who plan to land humans on Mars within 20 years. How successful such an experiment will be is unknown, but in the event of a global catastrophe, we have as many as 5 planets that can replace our home.
Nowadays, many people think that someday we will have to move to another planet, since nothing in this world lasts forever. Our planet could suddenly become uninhabitable. The main thing is that by this moment humanity is ready to move.
Now many countries are interested in the possibility of colonizing other planets in the solar system. Some planets in it can actually become suitable for life if artificial conditions suitable for humans are created on them. Besides them, there are also those planets that it is better not to go to. Below we will look at several such space objects located in our planetary system and beyond.
Carbon planets
The earth has a high oxygen content relative to carbon. This substance makes up only 0.1% of the mass of our planet. In the central part " milky way» much more carbon. Consequently, the planets there are completely different and unsuitable for humans.
On carbon planets we would see a yellow, dirty fog. The sky there is dotted with black soot clouds. The atmosphere of carbon planets is filled with “seas” of tar and oil. Their surface consists of eternally bubbling methane pits, as well as black poisonous mucus. The weather there is also not favorable: it constantly rains stones and gasoline. But even such planets have an advantage - diamonds of enormous size are often found on their surface in mucus and other toxic dirt.
Neptune and super-high-speed winds
The surface of the planet Neptune is also not very comfortable - there are always super-high-speed winds there. Frozen gas clouds sweep across the northern edge of the Great Dark Spot. The wind speed on Neptune can reach 2 thousand km/hour. A person cannot stand under such a wind. Inevitable death with terrible torment awaits him.
Fierce gusts of wind will tear any object apart and quickly spread throughout Neptune. By the way, scientists have not been able to determine where this planet takes energy to produce the most powerful winds in the solar system. As you know, Neptune is very cold inside and quite far away from the star.
Planet "51 Pegasi b"
The planet “51 Pegasi b” has another name – Bellerophon. It is a gas giant, 150 times larger than our Earth. The main components of its composition are hydrogen and helium. Sometimes this gas planet can heat up to 1 thousand degrees Celsius. She has a personal luminary - a small star. The heating of the planet is explained by the fact that this star is much closer to it than the Sun is to Earth.
The rising temperatures create an extremely windy atmosphere on Bellerophon. The heated air rises and is replaced by cold air. All this happens at a speed of 1 thousand km/hour.
"COROT exo-3b" exoplanet
COROT exo-3b is the largest and most massive exoplanet known. Its dimensions are comparable to Jupiter, although this planet is twenty times more massive than it. Its density is twice that of lead. Consequently, the weight of a person on such a planet will increase fifty times. Such pressure will instantly flatten an earthly inhabitant along with all his entrails and bones.
The most scandalous planet Mars
Dust storms on the “red planet” pose a particular threat to colonizers. They appear unpredictably, forming within a few hours. In a few days they can go around the entire planet, without leaving a single untouched corner on it. Martian storms are recognized as the most destructive and longest-lasting in the entire solar system. The height of the dust devil can reach the height of Everest, and the wind speed in it is 300 km/h. Having appeared suddenly one day, such a storm can be present on the planet for months. It should also be noted that all this is accompanied by sudden temperature changes.
As you know, in the future our scientists are preparing a project for the colonization of such a terrible planet. In order to ensure the safety of the colonialists, they will equip them with all kinds of protective devices and provide them with safe “homes”.
"WASP-12b" - the hottest planet
"WASP-12b" is recognized as the most hot planet of all that scientists have ever discovered. The fact is that this planet is as close as possible to its star. The temperature on its surface can reach 4 thousand degrees Celsius. By the way, this planet is only a couple of times colder than the Sun and a couple of times hotter than lava.
Jupiter and its storms
The atmosphere of this planet gives rise to supermassive storms, which, in turn, create winds at a speed of 800 km/h. Lightning on Jupiter is a hundred times brighter and more dangerous than on Earth. Under its atmosphere there is another threat in the form of a hydrogen ocean of liquid metallic substance, the depth of which reaches 40 thousand km.
In the outer layers of the planet described above, hydrogen looks the same as on our planet - a colorless gas. The deeper it goes, the denser it becomes. The reason for this is the increasing pressure, which eventually compresses even the electrons in the hydrogen atoms.
Pluto isn't exactly a planet
In fact, this cosmic body is not a planet, but it can be landed on, which means it can be colonized. This should not be done, since Pluto is incredibly different low temperatures. The year of this object is equal to 248 Earth years. Its surface is covered with ice, the main components of which are hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane.
Gamma rays from space give the above-described ice different colors, ranging from brown-pink to pale milky. Sunlight hits Pluto in the same way that moonlight hits Earth. On particularly sunny days on Pluto, the temperature rises to a maximum of -230 degrees Celsius.
"COROT 7-b"
Recently, scientists tried to simulate the conditions on the planet "COROT 7-b". It turned out that the temperature on the side facing the sun can be so high that even stones evaporate. That is why this cosmic body does not have volatile gases in the atmosphere. Instead, there are pairs of rocks there.
The most interesting thing is that the weather conditions on “COROT 7-b” may be the same as ours, but instead of rain, pebbles (for example) will fall there, and instead of ordinary rivers, lava flows on its surface.
Venus - Earth's evil twin
As you know, this planet was recognized as the “evil twin of the Earth.” To be more precise, Venus is similar to our planet only in size. There is too much in its atmosphere greenhouse gas. Due to such evaporations, weather conditions on Venus are not at all favorable.
A person on Venus would die almost instantly from poisonous gas. He will also be in great danger atmospheric pressure. Extremely high temperatures would also have a negative impact on our body. By the way, even research probes cannot survive on this planet for long. Maximum quantity The time spent by earthly technology on Venus was 127 hours.
The main process taking place in the noosphere is the steady, ever-accelerating accumulation of information. It is information that today is already recognized by humanity as the greatest wealth that belongs to it, as its main, continuously increasing capital. The amount of information characterizes the degree of diversity of a given object and the level of its organization. By intelligently influencing the nature around him, man creates a second, artificial “nature”, characterized by greater order, and therefore more information, than the natural environment. The accumulation of such production information in the noosphere is the result of human production activity, the result of the interaction of nature and society.
But society is capable of accumulating information not only in the means and products of labor, but also in the system of scientific knowledge. By exploring the world, a person enriches himself and the noosphere with scientific information. This means that the source of information accumulation in the noosphere is the transformative and cognitive activity person. “The main process of accumulation of information in the noosphere,” says A.D. Ursul, “is associated with the assimilation of diversity due to the external nature surrounding society, as a result of which the volume and mass of the noosphere can increase unlimitedly.”
The expansion of the noosphere into space is currently expressed in the receipt of scientific information about space with the help of astronauts and automata. There is no doubt, however, that over time there will also be space production, i.e., the practical exploration of celestial bodies, the remaking of near, and perhaps deep space, according to the will of man. Then production information will also come from space, the first rudiments of which, in principle, already exist (for example, exploration of the lunar interior, study of lunar soil). Near space will eventually become a place for human habitation and work. The noosphere will first cover the celestial bodies closest to the Earth, and then, perhaps, the entire solar system. How will this happen? What are the neighbors and long-term prospects space exploration?
Already today thousands of satellites orbit the Earth. Long-term orbital stations with shift personnel began to operate in near-Earth orbits. In the future, some of them will probably take over the functions of refueling stations for interplanetary manned rockets. It will also become possible to assemble spacecraft in low-Earth orbits from blocks previously delivered to the “construction” area. A family of satellites of different types and purposes will provide humanity with constant scientific information about events in space and on Earth.
Already three celestial bodies (the Moon, Venus and Mars) have temporarily acquired their own artificial satellites before our eyes. The creation of such satellites is apparently an inevitable stage in the exploration of planets (along with the preliminary sending of probes to the vicinity of the celestial body being studied and to its surface). There is every reason to think that this sequence will continue into the future, so that by the end of the century, perhaps, most planets will be monitored by the watchful eyes of their artificial satellites.
Lunar rovers and Mars rovers (and planetary rovers in general), along with automatic stationary stations that softly landed on the surface of the celestial bodies being studied, will become the third line of automatic machines (after “fly-by” probes with a hard landing) studying neighboring worlds. There is no doubt that their improvement will lead to the emergence of space automata that will be able to perform almost any task in space, in particular, taking off from planets and returning to Earth (as, for example, it was on the Moon). There are no fundamentally insoluble difficulties on this path, but there are huge technical problems, the main one of which, perhaps, is the creation of compact, lightweight and at the same time effective traction systems.
The advantages of space automata are obvious. They are not as sensitive to the harsh space environment as humans, and their use does not risk human casualties. Interplanetary automatic stations are much lighter than manned spacecraft, and this provides economic benefits during launch. Although there are other advantages of automata over humans, the exploration of the solar system will, of course, be carried out not only by automata, but also by people. And here you can find many analogies from earthly experience.
Exploration of Antarctica began with voyages near its shores. They were followed by short landings on the shore and expeditions inland all the way to the South Pole. Finally, before our eyes, permanent research stations (with shift personnel) have settled in Antarctica. It is possible that over time the systematic settlement of Antarctica will begin, accompanied by a change in its nature in a direction favorable for humans.
The moon is much harsher than Antarctica. But although it is separated from the Earth by more than a third of a million kilometers, it has begun to develop at a much faster pace than the southernmost continent on earth. First (since 1959) space probes flew near the Moon. Then the first artificial satellites appeared around the Moon. They were followed by hard landings. Finally, the spacecraft softly descended onto the lunar surface, prefacing the first lunar expeditions with this reconnaissance of the neighboring world. What will happen next is not difficult to predict. After a series of new expeditions by lunar rovers and cosmonauts, which will collect sufficiently detailed information about the neighboring world, first temporary, then permanent scientific stations will probably appear on the Moon. The next step in the exploration of the Moon will probably be expressed in its gradual settlement, in the creation of permanent energy installations on its surface, in the development of the lunar industry, and in the widespread use of local resources of matter and energy.
There are two ways for a person to adapt to the hostile conditions of the space environment. In the cabins of spaceships, life support systems create a miniature “branch of the Earth”, earthly comfort. On a microscale, spacesuits perform the same function. In the first stages of exploration of the Moon and other celestial bodies, this technique will continue to remain the only possible one. But, “having gained a foothold on the Moon, having built the first lunar dwellings, the nature of the life support system reminiscent of the cabins of spaceships, humanity may begin to reorganize the Moon itself, to artificially create an environment suitable for habitation on it on a global scale. In other words, not passive adaptation to the external hostile space environment, but its change in the direction favorable to a person, active remaking of the external environment in an “Earth-like” spirit is the second way to ensure the possibility of the settlement of humanity in space.
Of course, the second path is more difficult than the first. In some cases it is not feasible or, to be more careful, it seems impossible within the framework of the technology known to us. For example, creating a permanent atmosphere around the Moon using gases obtained artificially from lunar rocks seems to be an unrealistic, fantastic project, mainly due to the weakness of lunar gravity. The gravity on the lunar surface is 6 times less than the earth's and the artificial lunar atmosphere should quickly evaporate. But the same project for Mars is completely feasible in principle, and one can think that someday the efforts of mankind will turn Mars into a second small Earth.
Of all the planets in the solar system, Mars is likely to be the first to be “colonized.” No matter how severe its lunar-like appearance, unexpectedly revealed by astronautics for astronomers, nevertheless, in terms of its totality of characteristics, Mars is closest to Earth. Manned flights to Mars and the landing of the first expedition on Mars are planned until 2000. However, Mars has already acquired artificial satellites and Soviet automatic stations have softly descended onto its surface. This happened just a few years after reaching a similar stage in the study of the Moon, despite the fact that even at its closest approach to the Earth, Mars is almost 150 times further than the Moon - a significant fact, again illustrating the unusually rapid progress of astronautics.
If we had an engine that would give the spacecraft an acceleration of 9.8 m/s2 throughout the entire flight to Mars, then we could get to Mars in just a week. Now there is not even an approach to a technical solution to such a problem, but can it be said that in the future the means of interplanetary communications will remain the same as today? However, if we are talking about Mars, then even with the current level of technology its exploration is quite possible. It is likely that the settlement of Mars will be preceded by the same stages as the settlement of the Moon. But we know this distant world much worse than the neighboring celestial body, and surprises are sure to await us on Mars. For this reason (and also because of the remoteness of Mars), its exploration will likely take longer than exploration of the Moon.
The latest data about Venus does not encourage us to visit it, much less settle it. A pressure of 10 MPa at a temperature of 500 °C is what is typical for the surface of Venus. Add to this a constant dense veil of clouds, creating twilight on the surface of the planet even at noon, winds in a suffocating atmosphere of carbon dioxide, probably a complete absence of water and, finally, possibly powerful volcanic eruptions - such is the situation on Venus, in comparison with which fantastic pictures of hell illustrate the poverty of human imagination. Of course, research on Venus will continue, in particular probing of its surface. But an expedition to Venus, at least in the foreseeable future, is out of the question.
The extreme planets of the solar system - Mercury and Pluto - clearly demonstrate the extremes in the physical situation on the planets. On the day side of Mercury, temperatures at noon can rise to 510 °C. Temperatures on poorly studied Pluto appear to always be close to absolute zero. Both planets are significantly smaller in size than Earth. To an observer on Mercury, the Sun appears 2.5 times larger in diameter than from Earth. In the sky of Pluto, the Sun is only the brightest star, although it illuminates Pluto 50 times more powerfully than the Moon does on the Earth during a full moon. Both planets will undoubtedly be studied by automata in the relatively near future. They will turn out to be convenient objects for the operation of long-term automatic scientific stations. As for expeditions to Mercury and Pluto, if they take place, it will most likely only be in the distant future: the situation on these planets is too unusual and hostile for earthly creatures and it is unlikely that they will ever be inhabited by humans.
Even more unsuitable for this purpose (or better yet, completely unsuitable) are the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They mainly consist of hydrogen (in the free state and in combination with nitrogen and carbon). It is possible that they do not have solid surfaces at all in the terrestrial sense of the word, that is, they are entirely gaseous, although in the depths of giant planets the densities of gases can be very high. These bodies, by their physical nature, occupy intermediate position between stars and terrestrial planets. They are somewhat below the mass of stars and therefore their interiors are not hot enough for the proton-proton cycle to occur. They are distinguished from terrestrial planets by the abundance of light elements with an extremely small proportion of heavy ones. Their atmospheres, consisting of hydrogen, methane and ammonia, are enormously thick, and the large mass of the giant planets causes enormous pressure in the depths of their atmospheres.
Probing of the giant planets by spacecraft has already begun (flights of the Pioneer-10 and Pioneer-11 vehicles). Given a certain favorable location of the giant planets, it is possible to send a probe that in a relatively short time (about nine years) can fly around all the giant planets, whereas a normal flight to Neptune alone would take about 30 years. The secret of this project, called “interplanetary billiards,” is that the probe is accelerated in the vicinity of the giant planets by their gravitational field. Each of the planets acts as an accelerator, which significantly reduces the flight time. Using this method, American automatic stations have already examined Saturn and Uranus. It is, of course, quite possible to send automatic probes into the atmospheres of these planets and to create artificial satellites around them (as around Venus, Mercury and Pluto). Instead of the physically impossible settlement of giant planets, humanity may use these bodies as practically inexhaustible reserves of fuel for future thermonuclear reactors.
The main natural satellites of the giant planets are comparable in size to Mercury and even Mars. Some of them are surrounded by an atmosphere consisting of methane and carbon dioxide. They are more similar to the Earth than their planets, and it is possible that the exploration of these bodies will follow the same path as the exploration of the Moon and Mars. The organization of scientific stations and fuel refueling bases on the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn may become necessary when exploring the outskirts of the solar system. In principle, all satellites of the planets are accessible not only to automatic machines, but also to astronauts.
Minor planets (asteroids) and comets will probably not be avoided by humanity. Both humans and robots can land on the largest asteroids and planetary satellites. Smaller bodies may be of interest as sources of fuel for space rockets (comet nuclei are composed of frozen ice of water, methane and ammonia) or as mineral resources (asteroids). It is quite possible that the future will pose challenges for humanity that we have not the slightest idea about.
The exploration of the solar system is not only about flying to planets and their satellites, but also about populating some of them with people and automata. Our planet Earth will also have to be remade according to the tastes and requirements of humanity. We don’t like everything in our “cosmic cradle”. While humanity was in an “infant” state, we had to put up with this. But now humanity has “matured” so much that it has not only left its “cradle”, but also felt the strength to radically remake its own planet.
There is no shortage of artificial climate change projects. For example, it is proposed to block the Bering Strait with a dam and pump warm water from the Pacific Ocean into the Arctic Ocean with nuclear pumps. There are many projects to change the direction of the Gulf Stream, in particular using it to warm the North American coast. There are projects to “revive” the Sahara and other desert areas of the Earth. All these projects have one drawback in common - they poorly take into account the consequences of the implementation of each project, while they can turn out to be catastrophic (for example, the turn of the Gulf Stream to the coast of North America will cause glaciation of Europe). Projects of extensive reservoirs, new canals and, in general, any major artificial changes in the physical nature of the Earth, including artificial reduction of cloudiness or abundant sprinkling, suffer from the same defects.
There is no doubt that man will remake the Earth in his own way, but this remaking must be preceded by a thorough, scientifically based prediction of the consequences of human intervention in the established balance of natural phenomena. Not yet able to remake its own planet, humanity is nevertheless discussing radical projects to remake the entire solar system. Our self-confidence can, perhaps, be justified by the fact that the implementation of these projects is a matter of the distant future, an incredibly difficult task for which we must prepare in advance.
In astronomy, it is traditional to call planets celestial lands. The convention of this term is now obvious: even in our solar system, strictly speaking, not a single planet is like the Earth. The remaking of the Solar System will obviously have as its main goal the correction of this “lack of nature.” To put it more clearly, humanity will probably build artificial, habitable structures around the Sun that make maximum use of the planets' material reserves and the life-giving energy of the Sun. We find the origins of this idea in K.E. Tsiolkovsky in his project to create artificial terrestrial planets or much smaller “space greenhouses”. From a (purely quantitative) point of view, the supply of matter in the giant planets alone would be enough to produce several hundred “artificial earths” or several hundred thousand “cosmic greenhouses.” In principle, it would be possible to transfer all of them to orbits closer to the Sun. The trouble is that giant planets are qualitatively unsuitable for this purpose: you can’t build “artificial earths” from hydrogen or other gases (unless, of course, you first precede this construction thermonuclear fusion heavy elements).
Some authors (I.B. Bestuzhev-Lada and, independently of him, F. Dyson) proposed surrounding the Sun with a gigantic artificial sphere, on the inside of which to place humanity, which was very numerous by that time. Such a sphere would completely capture the radiation of the Sun, and this energy would become one of the main energy bases of former earthlings (“former” because the construction of such a sphere would, perhaps, require the use of the substance of all planets, including the Earth). Several years ago, it was shown that the Dyson sphere is dynamically unstable, and therefore unsuitable for habitation.
Some projects propose, without leaving our “cradle” and “without pulverizing it,” to build up the Earth from the outside using the substance of other planets. Obviously, with such an increase in more and more new floors, the force of gravity will progressively increase, which will greatly complicate not only the construction of a “new Earth”, but also the habitation of excessively “heavy” people on it. In the projects of Professor G.I. Pokrovsky instead of the Dyson sphere proposes stable solid dynamic structures, which, perhaps, will be created around the Sun from the substance of the planets. In all these projects, which seem completely fantastic, the basic idea is certainly true: the exploration of the solar system by humanity will be completed only when it fully and in the most convenient way uses the matter and energy of this system. Then the noosphere will probably occupy the entire circumsolar space.
The modern stage of astronautics is characterized by the creation of generations of orbital stations of gradually more complex designs. These are the Soviet stations “Salyut” and “Mir”. The American scientist O'Neill developed designs for very large habitable cylindrical space structures. It is assumed that tens of thousands of earthlings will be able to live in such orbital stations, where an earth-like environment must be created. Of course, O’Neill’s intention to gradually move the majority of the Earth’s population into his “cylinders” looks utopian, but there can hardly be any doubt that such super-large orbital stations will appear in near-Earth orbits. It is typical that at such stations, due to their rotation, artificial gravity will be created. The period of frivolous fascination with weightlessness has long passed. It became obvious that weightlessness is a serious obstacle to the widespread exploration of the Solar System. With prolonged weightlessness, the number of red blood cells in the blood decreases, calcium salts leave the body, which gradually destroys the skeleton, so the fight against weightlessness is just beginning.
Remaking the solar system requires enormous amounts of energy. Today it is clear that this energy will be provided by extraterrestrial orbital solar power plants. Outside the atmosphere, they will be constantly illuminated by the Sun and bad weather will not bother them. It may be advisable to first convert solar energy into electromagnetic energy ( microwave radiation), which is then transmitted to Earth using a reflector. Engineering projects orbital solar power plants show that tomorrow it is possible to create such stations in orbits that in their power will not be inferior to the largest hydroelectric power stations on earth. Y. Golovanov talks about this convincingly and fascinatingly in his book “The Architecture of Weightlessness,” which the author warmly recommends to the reader.
Thus, today humanity already has the means necessary to explore the solar system. It is known that this development is part of the famous plan of K.E. Tsiolkovsky on space exploration in general. How realistic are K.E.’s plans? Tsiolkovsky in philosophical terms, described in the book of the famous Soviet philosopher Academician A.D. Ursula. Before our eyes, according to the logic of the development of astronautics, an industry is emerging in space. One of its immediate tasks is to use the resources of the planetary interior.
