The space race is back, and this time the finish line is as red as the Chinese flag. Beijing has just thrown down the gauntlet to the United States, announcing an ambitious plan to conquer Mars. In 2033, Chinese astronauts could set foot on the Red Planet, ushering in a new era of space exploration and colonization. These are the “wars” we like.
How much does the “space dragon” weigh?
Well yes, China has decided to play "Who gets to Mars first?" And I'm not talking about a board game, but a real one. space race which makes conquering the moon look like a walk in the park.
The Chinese plan is as ambitious as a Briatore pizza: manned missions in 2033, 2035, 2037, 2041 and beyond. Beijing is apparently planning more trips to Mars than the average commuter makes in a year. But hey, who are we to judge? After all, it’s not like we’ve ever planned an interplanetary jaunt.
Space Race, the “Martian Five-Year Plan”
Look, I can already see the usual short-sighted comments: don't think the Chinese are improvising. They have a detailed plan that would make even the most meticulous wedding planner jealous. Before sending humans, they will send robots to study possible sites for the base and to build resource extraction systems. One has already been there last May.
And they don't stop there. They want to extract water, generate oxygen, and produce electricity on Mars. And what do they say in Houston?
NASA is scratching its head
NASA scientists may be looking at each other with confused expressions. “Wait, were we racing?” they may be wondering. The space race seems to be back on, and this time China has put the accelerator to the floor. The warning signs, however, they were all there.
NASA, however, is also developing technologies to land a crew on Mars “sometime in the 2030s.” And even that “sometime” sounds a little vague. Like when you say to a friend “See you one of these days” knowing full well that it will probably never happen.
Space Race, May the best man win
As if Mars wasn't enough, China is also planning a base at the Moon’s south pole and robotic missions to asteroids and Jupiter around 2030. Last week they also sent three astronauts to their space station, their first crewed mission since 2016.
This new space race reminds us that despite all the problems on Earth, humanity continues to look to the stars. As always, there will be those who say, “Wouldn’t it be better to invest all these resources in solving problems here on Earth?” One day we will write a long, long post to clarify this once and for all.
In the meantime, may the best man win. Or perhaps more appropriately, may the first man win. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the show from here on Earth, with plenty of popcorn. After all, even stargazing can be an adventure, especially if you don't have to worry about how to get back.
