Interstellar

photo credit: IMDB

We watched Interstellar over the weekend. While I can’t say it’s one of my favorite movies, it does present an interesting premise. What if we stop spending money on space exploration and maintain the planet as is? If so, what happens if our planet becomes uninhabitable? How does mankind survive?

In the movie, Earth experiences such extreme temperatures, drought, and famine worse than the Dust Bowl of the 1930s that humanity faces extinction. A secret NASA (secret because nobody wants to spend money on space exploration when people are starving) sends a team of astronauts beyond our solar system to find an inhabitable planet. Of course, there are various crises and dilemmas. Wouldn’t be a good sci-fi action/adventure if there weren’t.

Much has been written lately about the discovery of new planets that appear to be capable of sustaining life. But it would be no quick trip to check out what telescopes and probes tell us. To get beyond our solar system we’d need either faster-than-light propulsion or wormholes (hypothetical shortcuts through spacetime). So far, we haven’t invented the former or discovered the latter.

Let’s say, scientists discover a wormhole that will let us travel to another part of our galaxy or into a different one. What would it take to get mankind to leave Earth? A global disaster? Would we see it coming? Would we heed the warnings in time? In Deep Impact (an asteroid will hit Earth), we hide underground until the Earth becomes safe again. In the movie 2012, we build an ark. But who is chosen to survive? How? A lottery? Your job? Bribes to officials?

I’ve written before about Mars One, the privately funded project to send a team on a one-way trip to establish a colony on Mars. NASA is also working on a plan to go to Mars. Progress is slow. Funding is always a challenge. If we knew that sometime in the future humanity would have to leave Earth, would we expedite that endeavor now? Or would we leave it up to future generations?

A lot of questions in this post. I love a good adventure movie. Disaster movies, not as much. But they do make me think. It’s that “what if” question that writers instinctively ask. It’s what makes a good story. But what if (see?) it’s not just a story? What if it’s real?

What do you think?

Going to Mars

If you had the chance to go to Mars, would you? What if this was your dream? The dream you’ve had since you were a child?

Your chance is here. A group of people are actually preparing for just such a trip. A one way trip. And there lies the kicker. You would leave everything behind—your family, your home, the world you know—to be the first inhabitants on another planet.

Mars One plans to “establish a permanent human settlement on Mars in 2023.” http://www.mars-one.com/en/about-mars-one/about-mars-one   Here's a rendition of what the settlement should look like in 2024 when the second group arrives.

Credit: Mars One / Bryan Versteeg

This project has engendered a lot of interest because over 78,000 people applied to go within two weeks of the announcement back in April. First they’ll send cargo—food, supplies, equipment to build the habitat—then the humans. Four at a time, once very two years. I can't imagine what the selection process will be, especially with so many applicants. 

What would it take to set off on such an adventure? The Mars One website has a very extensive list of qualifications. Major requirements include resiliency, adaptability, curiosity, ability to trust, and creativity/resourcefulness.

Periodically, I’ve blogged about pioneers and the thrill of adventuring into space. I write about space travel, but I never really thought about all the consequences. Like never returning to Earth. Never holding my husband, children, grandchildren again. Then there are things like once you get into the spaceship, you'll never breathe fresh air again. Never walk through forests, swim in the lake/ocean, feel the grass under your bare toes.

So knowing all that, would you go? They’re still taking applicants.