SpaceX plans mission to Mars in 2018
- 8 years ago
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA — SpaceX finally announced a launch date for its mission to Mars, and it’s in the very near future.
The Wall Street Journal reports that SpaceX is partnering with NASA to send a Red Dragon — a modified Dragon 2 capsule — on a mission to Mars by 2018. NASA will be providing technical support, including deep space communications.
The company has been delivering cargo to the International Space Station since 2012 using an unmanned Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9. But with Mars much farther away, the Red Dragon will be launched using the more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket.
But while launching the rocket is relatively simple, landing on a planet like Mars is where things get tricky, according to the New York Times.
With a much thinner atmosphere than Earth’s, there is less cushion for incoming spacecraft, which increases the likelihood of a crash.
Business Insider reports that the Dragon’s heat shield can withstand temperatures of over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making it possible to safely enter and plummet through the Martian atmosphere.
The capsule is also equipped with eight SuperDraco engines, which would allow it to execute a propulsive landing on the Red Planet’s surface.
SpaceX briefly announced the mars launch via Twitter on Wednesday. CEO Elon Musk is set to reveal more details about the Mars launch at September’s International Astronautical Conference in Mexico.
The Wall Street Journal reports that SpaceX is partnering with NASA to send a Red Dragon — a modified Dragon 2 capsule — on a mission to Mars by 2018. NASA will be providing technical support, including deep space communications.
The company has been delivering cargo to the International Space Station since 2012 using an unmanned Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9. But with Mars much farther away, the Red Dragon will be launched using the more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket.
But while launching the rocket is relatively simple, landing on a planet like Mars is where things get tricky, according to the New York Times.
With a much thinner atmosphere than Earth’s, there is less cushion for incoming spacecraft, which increases the likelihood of a crash.
Business Insider reports that the Dragon’s heat shield can withstand temperatures of over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making it possible to safely enter and plummet through the Martian atmosphere.
The capsule is also equipped with eight SuperDraco engines, which would allow it to execute a propulsive landing on the Red Planet’s surface.
SpaceX briefly announced the mars launch via Twitter on Wednesday. CEO Elon Musk is set to reveal more details about the Mars launch at September’s International Astronautical Conference in Mexico.