Space travel has moved beyond the realm of science fiction

Space travel has moved beyond the realm of science fiction

On October 13, the world watched in awe as SpaceX’s Starship rocket’s 20-story booster landed perfectly on the arms of the company’s launch tower near Brownsville, Texas. Fittingly in a major step toward SpaceX’s goal of making Starship a fully reusable rocket system, clips of the booster’s spectacular first take have gone viral on social media. For a few hours, it seemed that interplanetary travel was no longer the stuff of science fiction.
However, just because SpaceX owner Elon Musk has declared his ambition to send a manned mission to Mars doesn’t mean he will achieve that goal in his lifetime. In 2016, he predicted that the first crewed launches to Mars could take place within six years, although the heavy rocket needed for the mission was still in the concept stage. In his keynote speech at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, he outlined his vision for manned missions to Mars, saying they could begin as early as 2022.
As for the reasons behind his plan, Musk identified “two fundamental pathways” facing humanity today: “The first is that we stay on Earth forever and then there will be an inevitable extinction event. . The alternative is to become a space civilization and a multi-planetary species. Eight years later, minutes after the October 13 booster’s successful capture, Musk exclaimed on X that a “huge step toward creating multiplanetary life was taken today.”
What this “big step” means for now is something more modest. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed this sentiment in his congratulations for including in the region of the South Pole of the Moon and then towards Mars.
Indeed, if perfect booster captures become commonplace in the coming months, NASA’s project to land humans on the Moon again by 2026 will no longer seem too ambitious, especially since the One of the many reasons for delays is the lack of partner hardware. The proposed human landing system, which will take humans from lunar orbit to the surface and then return astronauts to orbit, is essentially a modified form of spacecraft.
The idea of ​​routine interplanetary travel has been with us since it was vividly discussed in Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1968. Written at a time when humans had yet to set foot on the moon, and space exploration programs in the United States and the Soviet Union were only just beginning, the novel envisioned a future of interstellar travel.
Today, private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are driving innovation at a much faster pace than traditional government space agencies could manage in the past. Advances in propulsion systems, including research into ion thrusters and nuclear propulsion, promise faster, more energy-efficient space travel. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Starship revolutionized space travel by developing reusable rockets, significantly reducing launch costs. Payload capacity has increased significantly, with Starship capable of carrying more than 100 tons of cargo, supporting large-scale missions to Mars and beyond.

Saudi Arabia launched its first astronauts on the International Space Station in 2023 and aims to strengthen its space sector through Vision 2030 initiatives.

Arnab Neil Sengupta

Additionally, deep space communications have evolved significantly over the past decade. Improvements in communications technology, including laser systems, will facilitate high-speed data transmission between planets. Additionally, autonomous navigation and AI are expected to improve mission management and ensure precise landings on other celestial bodies. Habitat development is also progressing, with NASA’s Artemis mission and research into habitats such as the Lunar Gateway paving the way for sustainable living conditions off-Earth.
Simultaneously, technologies such as in situ resource utilization could enable humans to harvest water, oxygen and fuel from planetary bodies. Medical advances, driven by research into human health in space, could help mitigate the risks of extended interplanetary travel. Ultimately, affordable interplanetary travel and exploration could spur new industries, tourism, and resource extraction, generating a mix of economic and societal benefits.
However, the potential disadvantages should not be overlooked. Energy demand and pollution from frequent spacecraft launches could have adverse effects on the Earth’s environment. The increase in interplanetary missions could lead to an increase in space debris, complicating travel and endangering spacecraft. Initially, affordable travel could only be accessible to the wealthy, widening existing economic and social divides. Additionally, competition for space resources or territorial claims could lead to geopolitical tensions or conflicts on other planets.
Finally, serious health risks remain. Prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation and low-gravity environments could pose significant long-term health risks for astronauts and space tourists.
On October 13, social media posts regarding the capture of the Starship booster briefly overshadowed discussions about the many conflicts raging in the Arab world. The juxtaposition of images showing the “super heavy” booster descending on a launch tower in one part of planet Earth and fiery airstrikes in another part of it was surreal. But this is the reality of 2024.
An interesting comment on What do we Arabs aspire to? For many Arabs, the answer to this question is probably “Peace and security in our times.” However, as the saying goes, time and tides wait for no man, and one might add: The march of technology is unstoppable.
Far-sighted Arab leaders understand that the region cannot afford to miss the bus. Saudi Arabia launched its first astronauts on the International Space Station in 2023 and aims to strengthen its space sector through Vision 2030 initiatives. The Saudi Space Agency was established in December 2018 by royal decree to develop and regulate the space sector of the Kingdom. Similarly, the UAE has made rapid progress with its Hope Mars orbiter and is planning a lunar mission, after sending two Emiratis to the ISS as part of an ambitious space program designed to inspire future generations and spark awareness. interest in science and technology in the Arab world. .
As humanity stands on the cusp of a new era of space exploration, the possibilities are vast and mind-boggling. Even as their political leaders and top diplomats strive for regional peace and security, Arab aspirations should reach the height of the stars.

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  Arnab Neil Sengupta is editor-in-chief at Arab News. X: @arnabnsg

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arab News.