Washington — Millions of dollars and untold hours of research later, the race to the red planet is delayed as experts reveal the tech needed to support this mission “does not exist.”
While lawmakers continue to push to reach Mars by 2039, the research and resources say otherwise, according to industry insiders at Wednesday’s hearing before the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.
The best chance at being in the vicinity of the target date hinges on the potential use of nuclear thermal propulsion in accelerating deep space travel.
“In rocket propulsion, the faster the rocket is, the better the rocket,” said Franklin Chang-Diaz, founder and CEO of the Ad Astra Rocket Company. “But we’re limited by the supporting tech to keep up.”
“Our committee found that an aggressive program could develop a nuclear thermal propulsion system capable of executing the baseline mission in 2039,” said Roger Myers, a senior aerospace consultant. But “major challenges require near term resolution.”
Achieving the successful use of NTP would mean speedier trips to Mars, essentially reducing radiation exposure for astronauts. It would also mean more frequent trips to Mars, said committee Chairman Don Beyer, D-Va.
But at least three major roadblocks must be overcome first, according to Myers. Such nuclear tech requires a nuclear reactor fuel capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and a high-capacity storage for enough liquid hydrogen to last three to four years. The solutions to both remain nonexistent. There is also no full-scale testing allowed to determine the associated risks with completing such an endeavor.
“A number of the folks here in the testimony mentioned about ground tests, the need for ground tests, the value of ground tests,” said Greg Meholic, senior project leader of the Aerospace Corporation. “But there are really no current regulations that allow that.”
At the moment, only subscale in-space testing is allowed. Experts seemingly have their hands tied behind their back after Congress directed much of their funding toward developing NTPs rather than assisting technologies.
“Realizing these capabilities would require sustained commitment and substantial investment over the next 10 to 20 years,” said Bhavya Lal, senior adviser for Budget and Finance at NASA. “It would demand working in lockstep with other government agencies, industries and academia to ensure cost sharing and innovative development of systems.”
The goal of safely sending humans to Mars remains distant. Despite the hurdles, experts will continue to rally in the hopes of meeting the deadline.
“If we’re serious about deep space exploration to Mars with humans, which I and others on this subcommittee are,” said Beyer, “we need to take bold steps to make it happen and make it sustainable.”
Experts are enthusiastic about the possibility of reaching Mars by 2039, but the technology just isn’t there yet.