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Rating: "If God had wanted humans to migrate to other stars, he would have given us a Moon, Mars, the asteroids, the outer planets, and their respective satellites, and the Oort cloud of comets" Ben Finney (anthropologist).
Smith, science correspondent for the Daily Mirror, independent journalist, specialized in space-related topics, has done an excellent job in this scientific volume. Not only has he followed the Gemini, Apollo, and Apollo Soyuz space programs, but he has also frequently visited Cape Canaveral and the NASA center, and has studied the Soviet space program, learning the Russian language. This interesting book (210 pages, Muzzio Biblioteca), although published twenty years ago (© 1989 IOP Publishing Ltd), remains remarkable both for the topics covered and as a reference point with the information obtained about Mars up to today.
The primary objective of the treatise is to demonstrate that the only feasible colonization of another planet in the Solar System is that of the 'Red Planet'. Due to its reddish hue (iron oxide), 3000 years ago the astronomical-astrological priests of ancient Babylon called it Nergal, after the god of death and pestilence. Since 1877, when Schiaparelli observed Mars thinking its canals were artificial, up to the first flybys, orbiting, and surface descent missions by space probes, much has been revealed. The advent of sophisticated technologies has allowed us to thoroughly analyze Mars, especially when on July 31, 2008, the Phoenix module discovered water (H2O) in the form of ice. The book, divided into 9 chapters, delves into the study of the planet, the first probes (particularly the Viking 1 and 2), the search for possible forms of life, human factors (psychological and physical aspects of men and women in space), the costs of exploration and its possible future transformation to host our race (terraforming and planetary engineering). The issue of costs is of utmost importance. The expenses necessary for an expedition to Mars will encounter tenacious opposition due to problems like hunger in the Third World, environmental degradation, and the ever-increasing level of poverty. These are infinitely complex topics, dense with technical-economic details that present pros and cons. The process of terraforming is meant to create a planet capable of sustaining an ecosystem, altering the atmospheric chemical composition so it resembles Earth's and thus making it habitable for humans. Procedures like using installations to increase temperature, orbiting mirrors to concentrate sunlight on the planet, plants to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen, and the production of large quantities of CFCs currently seem science fiction-like. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), despite being known as 'ozone killers', have the capacity to trigger a powerful 'greenhouse effect'. The term 'terraforming' was coined by the great SF writer Jack Williamson (1908-2006). Such an endeavor would take centuries to implement. Nonetheless, some scientists are devoting time and studies to these topics. Perhaps one day, all this could become reality...
Smith asserts that the landing of a human crew on Mars will nevertheless be inevitable. Considering that Earth's resources are not infinite and have been perilously exploited due to the increasing human population, Mars could provide us with some of the almost depleted materials on our precious planet. For our descendants, it could truly represent a 'new world' to explore. To achieve such a result, a massive combined effort from all nations would be more logical and desirable.
The author thanks the staff members of NASA Public Affairs, those from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Marshall Space Flight Center, and the Ames Research Center for the assistance, materials, and illustrations provided. A mission with the MSL (Mars Science Laboratory), a NASA rover equipped with more advanced scientific instruments than previous missions, is scheduled for 2011. Its task will be to explore the planet's potential to sustain life. On this occasion, I preferred to include an image of Mars, much more suggestive than the book cover, also because I couldn't find it...
Martian Regards ©.
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