Chris Hadfield on Mars Missions | StarTalk

you know there are no vehicles that can

you know there are no vehicles that can take us to Mars right now and we don’t

take us to Mars right now and we don’t

take us to Mars right now and we don’t go for rides as astronauts we we I mean

go for rides as astronauts we we I mean

go for rides as astronauts we we I mean I helped design the cockpit of the

I helped design the cockpit of the

I helped design the cockpit of the shuttle so you straight as an engineer

shuttle so you straight as an engineer

shuttle so you straight as an engineer yeah I have an engineering background of

yeah I have an engineering background of

yeah I have an engineering background of it and I mean I help change how we

it and I mean I help change how we

it and I mean I help change how we operate the Soyuz even as the pilot of a

operate the Soyuz even as the pilot of a

operate the Soyuz even as the pilot of a Russian Soyuz I help change some

Russian Soyuz I help change some

Russian Soyuz I help change some operations in the Soyuz we we are

operations in the Soyuz we we are

operations in the Soyuz we we are intrinsically involved with making space

intrinsically involved with making space

intrinsically involved with making space flights safe and so go to Mars sure

flights safe and so go to Mars sure

flights safe and so go to Mars sure conceptually it’s easy to say yeah sure

conceptually it’s easy to say yeah sure

conceptually it’s easy to say yeah sure I’d love to I got the orbit I can prep

I’d love to I got the orbit I can prep

I’d love to I got the orbit I can prep while I’m there just go 40% faster on

while I’m there just go 40% faster on

while I’m there just go 40% faster on our way but but I want I would want to

our way but but I want I would want to

our way but but I want I would want to be really involved with the vehicles and

be really involved with the vehicles and

be really involved with the vehicles and making sure that we had a reasonable

making sure that we had a reasonable

making sure that we had a reasonable sure I don’t want to die on the way to

sure I don’t want to die on the way to

sure I don’t want to die on the way to Mars but I would love the opportunity to

Mars but I would love the opportunity to

Mars but I would love the opportunity to be part of that Explorer well Mars

be part of that Explorer well Mars

be part of that Explorer well Mars that’s of course would be a very long

that’s of course would be a very long

that’s of course would be a very long journey with the engines we have now yes

journey with the engines we have now yes

journey with the engines we have now yes certainly and if it’s a sort of a free

certainly and if it’s a sort of a free

certainly and if it’s a sort of a free energy transfer there was a nine months

energy transfer there was a nine months

energy transfer there was a nine months or something there I think I wait till

or something there I think I wait till

or something there I think I wait till we line up again earth and Earth and

we line up again earth and Earth and

we line up again earth and Earth and Mars ever gonna go that way so this is

Mars ever gonna go that way so this is

Mars ever gonna go that way so this is these are years yeah and so they would

these are years yeah and so they would

these are years yeah and so they would need many guitars and many songs many

need many guitars and many songs many

need many guitars and many songs many many cans of tuna I think yeah I really

many cans of tuna I think yeah I really

many cans of tuna I think yeah I really we my prediction we will never go to

we my prediction we will never go to

we my prediction we will never go to Mars with the engine technology we have

Mars with the engine technology we have

Mars with the engine technology we have right now it’s like trying to set up

right now it’s like trying to set up

right now it’s like trying to set up airline flights to Australia in 1920 no

airline flights to Australia in 1920 no

airline flights to Australia in 1920 no I think we just we don’t have the

I think we just we don’t have the

I think we just we don’t have the technology to make it safe enough that

technology to make it safe enough that

technology to make it safe enough that we can ever do it we need we need to go

we can ever do it we need we need to go

we can ever do it we need we need to go from propellers to Jets we need to go

from propellers to Jets we need to go

from propellers to Jets we need to go from string wings to to metal wings we

from string wings to to metal wings we

from string wings to to metal wings we get so we got to invent a bunch of stuff

get so we got to invent a bunch of stuff

get so we got to invent a bunch of stuff first

first

first and there’s no rush to go to Mars

and there’s no rush to go to Mars

and there’s no rush to go to Mars there’s no there’s no urgency the earth

there’s no there’s no urgency the earth

there’s no there’s no urgency the earth it is a concern but it’s not horribly

it is a concern but it’s not horribly

it is a concern but it’s not horribly threatened that we have to abandon it I

threatened that we have to abandon it I

threatened that we have to abandon it I think it’s gonna be incremental from

think it’s gonna be incremental from

think it’s gonna be incremental from station that’ll be it that’s a 30-year

station that’ll be it that’s a 30-year

station that’ll be it that’s a 30-year project from station to the moon that’s

project from station to the moon that’s

project from station to the moon that’s probably a 50-year project and then

probably a 50-year project and then

probably a 50-year project and then official International Space Station

official International Space Station

official International Space Station yeah and then eventually to Mars but

yeah and then eventually to Mars but

yeah and then eventually to Mars but there’s no big rush this is just natural

there’s no big rush this is just natural

there’s no big rush this is just natural i9x rush why not the trouble is if

i9x rush why not the trouble is if

i9x rush why not the trouble is if you if you make it a race then as soon

you if you make it a race then as soon

you if you make it a race then as soon as the first person crosses the finish

as the first person crosses the finish

as the first person crosses the finish line you’re done you’re done it’s not

line you’re done you’re done it’s not

line you’re done you’re done it’s not it’s not how we explore it’s not the

it’s not how we explore it’s not the

it’s not how we explore it’s not the right thing to do I’m with you