Science : The Holiday of the Future
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By: Patrick Omari
 
Date Submitted: 2009-06-08 14:00:34 - Article Views: 20115
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That dreaded alarm is going off and its very early. You suddenly remember why you have to get up, its time for your holiday of a lifetime. The airport beckons and you know you have a long journey ahead of you - very long in fact. You arrive at the airport and see the old fashioned aircraft taking to the skies on the runway. You have flown on these many times, but today you will be going somewhere better, much better. Its time to board your transport as you are off for your year long holiday to Mars, yes you heard right - Mars!
You could be forgiven for thinking that these are just mad ramblings, but it is not as far-fetched as you would think. George Bush set out his vision for space in 2004 and indicated that Mars could be landed on after the moon was re-visited. It is highly unlikely that in our lifetime a holiday to Mars will be possible, but the chance for our children or grandchildren - well who knows?
Of course taking a year-long holiday to Mars would not go down very well with your employer, and that is why they will have procedures in place to deal with this. Those wishing to take a holiday of this length will be able to use the journey time to continue to work. This would involve sending work back to earth via electronic mail or an equivalent. This ensures that productivity is maintained whilst dealing with the long journey times associated with travelling to such a destination. Of course once you arrived then your holiday-proper could begin, with the 'return to work' occurring as you made your way back to the Earth.
If you are looking for spectacular sites then Mars will not let you down. Arriving at the red planet would be an awe-inspiring experience as you entered its atmosphere. Where you would land, and at what kind of facility is not known, but let's call them Mars airports for arguments sake.
Once you landed at your Mars airport you would be staggered at the lower gravity and the difference in light. Of course the modern Mars port would have all the trappings to make any earth dweller feel right at home. Who knows if your glass of Coke or pint of beer would take a different twist. The manufacturing process in lower gravity could really give them a kick!
Checking into your hotel would allow you to take a well earned rest before your sightseeing tours began. The next day you have a choice of where you visit. How about taking a drive to Valles Marineres a giant canyon 5,000km long (3.100 miles), with a depth of 6km (3.7 miles)? There can be no denying that this would be a fantastic experience for anyone. If that does not appeal then how about Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the entire solar system 27km (17 miles) high? There is no need to worry though as it is now extinct so you can explore to your hearts content in complete safety.
Another attraction that is sure to be popular would be 'the face'. In 1976 the Viking 1 orbiter spacecraft sent back an image of what looked like a giant face sculpture on the surface of the planet. This convinced many space enthusiasts that intelligent life once inhabited the planet. Whether you believe this or not it would surely be worth a visit, even if it were to laugh at your ancestors beliefs!
Next on your itinerary could be a moon tour bus that will take you back out into space to fly by Mars two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos. To do this you would have to orbit the red planet and most likely creep up on them as they orbited. This would provide a great close up of their shape and make-up. Afterwards you could take a gentle descent back down to the surface of Mars to take dinner in one of the many restaurants, serving a great selection of Earth and Mars based dishes.
Those visiting Mars may not wish to always be on the go and spending time in your hotel room could be a welcome break. The hotels will be equipped with earth-based television channels for you to watch - very important to keep up with developments back home. However it is worth bearing in mind that if you are looking to watch a sports event live then there is a 25 minute delay due to the extreme distances it takes for even light to travel. This may also change the way you communicate with loved ones at home as a telephone conversation will not be simple. When you speak on the telephone you will be waiting 25 minutes to receive a reply due to the extreme distances involved, even if it is just the word 'hello'.
It is almost certain that we will never see a holiday such as this in our lifetime. It is possible however that this type of holiday may be possible albeit in a smaller way to the moon. With the return of NASA to our celestial neighbour at the earliest date of 2020 we may see astronauts living on the lunar surface on a permanent basis. Whilst it seems unlikely that we will be able to take casual holidays to the moon some members of the public may be able to live for a period on lunar service in a small NASA base. This is if they are prepared to pay the money required.
Even if this is not possible in our lifetime those interested in travelling into space will probably be able to do so onboard a service such as Virgin Galactic run by entrepreneur Richard Branson. This will allow a member of the public to experience the blackness of space and weightlessness for themselves. This is not science fiction but science fact and is very close to becoming a regular service into the upper reaches of this planets atmosphere.
This sub-orbital service will carry paying passengers to a height of 110km and allow them to experience weightlessness for a period of 6 minutes. There are several names that have already booked for a flight aboard this service including actor William Shatner, designer Philippe Starck, actress Sigourney Weaver, director Bryan Singer, musician Moby, socialite Paris Hilton, guitarist Dave Navarro and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. It is believed that Branson himself will be taking some of the members of his family on the first commercial flight aboard one of the craft - VSS Enterprise in 2009 before any paying guests have flown.
It remains to be seen when journeys to the Moon and Mars become a reality for members of the public. However with Virgin ready to launch their space service it appears to be the dawn of a new age as more and more people get the chance to experience space for themselves, that was reserved previously only for professional astronauts. |
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Patrick is an expert Research and Travel consultant. His current interest is in Inverness airport parking and Dover port parking.
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