Until NASA can finally get an astronaut on Mars, the topic will continuously come up and be talked about. It is no secret that the space company wants to do this and that they would like to by 2030. If a trip was taken there right now, using the current techniques it would take around five months. However, a physics professor at the University of California, Philip Lubin, is working on a way to get there faster.
FIRST FACT: PHILIP LUBIN IS MAKING A NEW METHOD
As his proposal suggests, NASA could send an astronaut to Mars in around one month’s time. This is four months quicker than the proposed usual time, and that is really amazing. Not only this but it was also mentioned that small electronic crafts could get to Mars within days. So, with that being said how on Earth does this work?
SECOND FACT: HOW LUBIN’S PROPOSAL BREAKS DOWN
Basically, what Lubin proposed was using a photonic propulsion system that is driven by lasers. This new method would skip the usual chemical reactions that are needed for a spacecraft to accelerate. Instead, it would use the electromagnetic photonic forces to propel it to unimaginable speeds. Speeds that would be around five times quicker, per the difference in times.
THIRD FACT: THE DILEMMA AT HAND
Even though Lubin has announced his proposal, he has mentioned that there is a dilemma. He mentioned in a NASA video that they know how to achieve these unimaginable speeds. However, he then says the biggest problem is when they turn to spacecraft, cars, and aircraft they are pathetically slow. What needs to be figured out is how to bridge those two gaps, Lubin mentioned. This could be huge because if NASA astronauts could make it to Mars in around a month, everyone around the world would benefit from it.
