Here's what it would take to survive this particular doomsday prophecy

Stephen Hawking had made apocalyptic predictions. The respected theoretical physicist warns that humanity needs to become a multi-planetary species within the next century if we don’t want to go extinct. Last year, he prophesied that we had maybe 1,000 years left on Earth, and the inspiration for this newly-urgent timeline is unclear—except for the fact that Hawking’s new documentary about colonizing Mars is coming out soon.

To be sure, Earth is facing some big problems, including climate change, overpopulation, epidemics, and asteroid strikes. But before we flee this planet like an action hero jumping out of an explosion, let’s think about this for a second. Sure, it’d be great to have a backup civilization somewhere in case asteroids wipe out all life on Earth. And it would be one of the most exciting things humankind has ever done. But what would it actually require?

Finding a second home for humanity

Mars is a somewhat obvious choice because it’s nearby, but it’s not exactly Earth 2.0. In fact, it’s arguably a lot worse off than Earth. It has toxic soil, it’s freezing cold, and the air is unbreathable. Any Martian colony would likely rely on regular care packages from home, which would not work well if Earth was done-zo.

If we really want to find the perfect home away from home, we could look to other star systems: with billions of planets in the Milky Way, there’s a good chance some will have water, land, and breathable air. But so far we haven’t found Earth’s twin, and our telescopes don’t have the kind of resolution that could tell us in detail what an exoplanet is like. Also, it would take hundreds of years to get there, and if those passengers don’t die along the way, they’d likely evolve into a new species before they even got to their new planet.

Bringing enough people

We would need to send significant numbers of people to other worlds in order to ensure the survival of the human species. Small colonies are subject to genetic anomalies from inbreeding, and vulnerable to getting wiped out in accidents.

NASA’s missions to Mars will likely only carry as many as six people at a time to the red planet. SpaceX wants to develop an Interplanetary Transport System to deliver 100 Martian settlers at a time, but at the moment it is nothing more than an imaginary behemoth.

The interstellar route is even more challenging, because we don’t even have an imaginary spacecraft capable of supporting thousands of people for hundreds of years on an interstellar journey.

And in either case, there’s always the politically charged question of: who goes and who stays? Do poor and disadvantaged people get left behind on a hellish world?

Making ourselves at home

If we really want to thrive on another planet, we’ll probably have to adapt the environment to suit our needs. Sure, we might be able to terraform Mars, but it would take about 100,000 years for its atmosphere to become breathable. Hope you’re not in a rush to go outdoors without a gas mask anytime soon.

Paying for it

NASA’s Journey to Mars is expected to cost up to $1.5 trillion. And that’s just for the first crews. Later on, launches bringing settlers and supplies to the colony would probably still cost hundreds of millions of dollars each.

And SpaceX’s plan to build the Interplanetary Transport System sounds great, but CEO Elon Musk has been very open about saying the company has no idea how it would pay for such a vessel.

And exactly who would pay to colonize Mars? Why would the U.S. government spend all that money to sustain a colony? What would we get out of it, besides better chances for the survival of our species? Will the Martian colony produce valuable exports, besides the (obviously awesome) scientific discoveries that would come out of it?

Surely there are a few wealthy Earthlings willing to pay millions of dollars each for a ride to and a habitat on an alien world, but the majority of folks who want to go to the red planet hope to come home afterwards.

Solving the problems that are killing Earth

History has a tendency to repeat itself. Even if we do successfully colonize another planet, we’ll still have to solve all the problems that Earth currently faces. Our technologies are just as likely to destroy the environment on other planets, and epidemics and asteroids could wipe out a Martian settlement much easier than they could obliterate the entire population of Earth.

The television show that Stephen Hawking is promoting is all about how human ingenuity is solving the challenges of colonizing Mars. Well, surely if we can figure out how to survive on a completely alien world, then we can figure out how to survive in our own home—possibly a lot more easily and cheaply than the alternative.

Reference: Popular Science Essay by Sarah Fecht  May 4, 2017

IN THIS EPISODE 15th episode of the Space Citizen News Podcast. Helena Aramendia from Parliament PR subcommittee shares current work and projects of Parliament, interview with Asgardian Mayoral Candidate Michael Aluxhim for Jakarta in Indonesia, current population statistics and presentation of the upcoming events for Asgardia.

Dara's log, 01/10/2018, 17:02 hello fellow asgardians my name is Dara, I am 11 and my birthdate is 19/06/2007, I am having my birthday late this year because me and my family just bought a house, so, I am having my birthday on 8th October  feal free to wish me a happy birthday, good-bye for now.

Remembering Belka and Strelka

On August 19, 1960, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik 5 capsule containing 40 mice, two rats, a rabbit, some fruit flies, plants—and a pair of dogs, Belka (“Whitey”) and Strelka (“Little Arrow.”) They were the first living creatures to go into orbit and return safely. And they gave the Soviets confidence to send a human into space less than a year later.

You can see contemporary footage of the space dogs here; https://youtu.be/u4SUH9qITxE .

According to Chris Dubbs, author of Space Dogs: Pioneers of Space Travel, Russian space doctors were at first alarmed when TV transmissions from the Sputnik 5 capsule showed neither dog moving the slightest bit during the first three orbits.

Finally, on the fourth orbit, Belka gave a little shudder and vomited. It seemed to snap both dogs out of a trance, breaking the spell of the strange experience of being without gravity. For the rest of the flight they looked more alert.

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Before Belka and Strelka, there were some failed attempts to return safely earth...

Laika , the first animal to orbit Earth.
The Sad, Sad Story of Laika, the Space Dog, and Her One-Way Trip into Orbit.

A stray Moscow pup; Laika traveled into orbit in 1957 with one meal and only a seven-day oxygen supply. Laika was placed in the satellite on 31 October 1957 and was fitted with a harness and chains that would control her movement. While in Sputnik 2 Laika could stand, sit and lie down, she would be unable to turn around. In the early hours of 3 November liftoff finally occurred, but there were immediate problems. Laika’s heart rate jumped to 240 beats per minute, compared to 103 before launch, while her respiration was almost four times faster. Crucially, the Blok A core of Sputnik 2’s nose cone didn’t separate, which stopped the thermal control system operating properly, raising the temperature to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Although Laika’s pulse slowly returned to normal, after five to seven hours she was dead.

You can see contemporary footage of the Laika here; https://youtu.be/I6poX9eah8g

Those who try to develop their products and conduct research beyond the Earth's atmosphere are coming to see life through a partnership with the National Laboratory of the International Space Station and NASA. NASA, for its part, is acquiring new resources to aid in its exploration and discovery missions. Through these partnerships, the world is benefiting from the simplicity of those who are taking their ideas to the limits of gravity. From satellite deployment to transportation to space research, a vibrant commercial space economy is evolving and now worth over $ 345 billion! Mike Reid is the manager of the ISS's Office of Business and Economic Development at Johnson Space Center. He explains some of the benefits of NASA's investment in the commercial space economy. “Commercialization of low Earth orbit frees the resources that NASA needs to continue exploring space. As NASA prepares to return to the Moon, visit Mars and continue to engage with other space missions, we will always need a platform in low Earth orbit. This platform allows for staff training, development of advanced systems and basic and applied research. However, expanding the use of the space station for commercial companies opens up a new market. By joining the commercial sector, we can continue our space exploration, providing access to a platform that helps generate jobs, generate revenue and, ultimately, create many new products that help people on Earth Are beneficial for " In terms of research, many companies are using the ISS National Laboratory in the United States to conduct their own research and development research on microgravity technology. These include companies known as Procter & Gamble, who used the station to study colloids, such as shampoo and cloth softener, with the aim of improving the quality and shelf life of their products. Merck, a multinational pharmaceutical company, uses the National Lab to study the growth properties of three-dimensional protein crystals. Your work may lead to a more effective delivery system for cancer treatment. Even companies not well known at the moment are seeing huge dividends from their research. Lambdavision, for example, is using microgravity conditions at the station to advance the development of treatments for the effects of retinal degeneration, aimed at restoring the vision of those affected by it. In addition to research opportunities, the space station contributes to expanding the space economy in other ways. Read explains: “The capacity of launch providers such as SpaceX and Northrup Grumman has grown dramatically over the past decade. The cost of placing cargo into orbit has dropped dramatically, opening the space market for many other non-governmental entities that previously could not afford to access space. Now SpaceX has brought astronauts to the American ground station for the first time since 2011, and for the first time in a privately owned launch system. The commercial crew program provides a large long-term benefit for private companies and NASA. Today, thanks to the space station, commercial entities and other non-governmental entities are entering the space economy in significant numbers. In addition to improving the quality of life for people on Earth, what these new partnerships can do together will take the space market and NASA's biggest missions to new heights.