Space ferry: Ukrainian astronomers propose to travel on asteroids between planets

Ukrainian scientists have come up with an interesting solution to one of the most pressing problems of space exploration: how to safely transport people to Mars research proposes to use natural space travelers — asteroids — as interplanetary vehicles.

A traditional trip to Mars poses significant challenges. With an average distance of 225 million kilometers from Earth, a conventional round trip would require approximately three years, exposing astronauts to serious health risks. Prolonged exposure to space can lead to muscle atrophy, loss of bone density, cardiovascular problems, and dangerous radiation exposure.

However, researchers Arseniy Kasyanchuk and Volodymyr Reshetnyk from Kyiv National University have identified a potential solution through a comprehensive analysis of more than 35,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Their study, covering the period from 2020 to 2120, identified 120 promising candidates that could serve as natural spacecraft between Earth, Mars, and Venus.

These «space ferries» could potentially reduce travel time by up to 180 days, which would significantly reduce the health risks to astronauts. Asteroids could also provide additional benefits: their natural caverns and surfaces could serve as shields against cosmic radiation, and the asteroids themselves could become a source of resources for space travelers.

NASA NEO Surveyor missionNASA NEO Surveyor is a space mission developed by NASA to detect and track Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), such as asteroids and comets, that could pose a potential danger to Earth. The main goal of the mission is to identify objects larger than 140 meters in size that are in orbits that could potentially intersect with the Earth's orbit. NEO Surveyor is scheduled to be launched in 2028., which aims to detect more than 90% of all NEOs with a diameter of more than 140 meters, can significantly expand the list of potential space «carriers». This research opens up new possibilities for future interplanetary travel by offering a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to spaceflight.

However, the practical implementation of the concept requires solving at least two critical tasks: developing a technology for landing on an asteroid, as well as creating methods for safely diving under its surface.

Source: Universetoday