Rex Ridenoure wrote an interesting article in the latest
edition of The Space Review titled "The Earth, Moon, Mars, and ChristopherColumbus." In the piece, Mr.
Ridenoure compares Columbus' five week trip to the New World to a potential six
month trip to Mars. Ultimately, the
Mar's trip would be much more significant than what Columbus attempted. I will let you read the timeline and
specifics for yourself.
But what I found more significant was the various comments
to the piece, demonstrating that the distance may be the easy part. One person commented that Columbus was not
arriving at a destination devoid of breathable air, water, That would have been a lot for Columbus to
carry. Another reader pointed out that
humans had already arrived in the New World, and Columbus was a
late-comer. This is something that we
cannot expect on Mars. Finally, a reader
pointed out that the New World was not even the destination but something
Columbus discovered on his way to India.
This was compared to us bumping into an unknown planet on the way to
Mars.
and food.
All thoughtful comments and more reasons to think hard about
what we are trying to accomplish. A
manned mission to Mars will be unlike anything ever accomplished before. Analogies are interesting, but Mars is a
whole new way of thinking.
