7 Space Exploration Technologies That Will Blow Your Mind | VISUAL THOUGHTS

At that period, humans have been able to travel from the surface of our planet all the way to the Moon and back several times, and we’ve sent robots up to Mars to explore its surface. Space Exploration Technologies have come so far that these are still only the very beginning stages of what we can do with them. The technologies that will help us make more discoveries in space are just around the corner; here are 7 technologies that will blow your mind in Space Exploration—and who knows? Maybe even light up your life here on Earth too!

1) Bigger Rockets

To get our robots and equipment to space, we need rockets that are bigger, safer, more reliable, and more efficient. There's a lot of exciting research being done in these areas; just check out Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise. But once we perfect our launches (and even before), how can we get beyond Low Earth Orbit? NASA is currently working on developing heavy-lift boosters that could send supplies—and someday astronauts—to Mars or other deep-space destinations. You might have heard about some of these projects: The Space Launch System (SLS) and its new upper stage booster, called Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). These combined systems will take crew and cargo into deep space using much larger payloads than ever before.

2) Plasma Propulsion

There are a variety of propulsion methods in space travel, but plasma propulsion is one of our favorites. Basically, it involves taking electrically charged atoms (ions) and forcing them through an electric field to generate thrust. Sounds complicated, right? It is! But we’re talking about space travel here—so anything that sounds too good to be true probably is. What plasma propulsion lacks in simplicity, it makes up for in efficiency: Unlike traditional rocket fuel, which uses a chemical reaction to create thrust, ion engines can continuously burn fuel for months or even years at a time.

3) Artificial Gravity

Going to space is hard on your body. The constant exposure to microgravity affects on your muscles, bones, and eyes, which can lead to a condition called orthostatic intolerance (OI), characterized by intense dizziness or fainting upon standing. We’re still in the early stages of figuring out how gravity works, but we know that weightlessness negatively affects bone density and muscle mass. At its most basic level, artificial gravity has been proposed to balance these effects—basically using diverging force or a rotating platform—but we won’t be seeing any of that for quite some time.

4) Space Elevators

A space elevator is a proposed means of transport from Earth's surface into outer space. It comprises a cable (stretchable for mechanical strength) stable to either end of a planet or moon that extends out into space beyond geostationary orbit. A vehicle traveling along one side of such a cable would have access to constant gravitational acceleration and, in theory, could reach speeds as high as 36,000 km/h (22,370 mph; 14.9 km/hr). Currently, such technology appears nowhere near the development. However, there is a strong science fiction interest in using such systems and they are routinely used as setting details in science fiction literature and film. One example is Arthur C.

5) Mining Asteroids

The Asteroid-Mining Market Is About to Take Off: Mining asteroids for precious metals like gold, platinum, and palladium may sound far-fetched, but it’s entirely possible with existing technology. The problem is not how to mine an asteroid—it’s how to do it cost-effectively. While scientists say there are hundreds of thousands of asteroids passing by Earth containing valuable resources, the debate is that most don’t have enough metal or water within their structure to justify going after them. But every year, more and more companies are launching missions and planning technologies that could soon make asteroid mining a profitable enterprise.

6) Ion Engines

Using ion force, a spacecraft can slow it down and constantly change its path by generating a powerful electrostatic field. This technology is frequently used for long-distance space exploration, allowing scientists to map out an entire solar system rather than just land on one planet at a time. Ion engines also have much lower fuel costs (and thus emissions) than traditional chemical rockets, meaning they could be key to further space exploration in a way that doesn't harm our home planet or your budget. They are not as fast as some of their counterparts, but they are reliable and energy-efficient. The Dawn spacecraft is currently using an ion engine to explore Ceres—the largest object in our solar system's asteroid belt—and it will arrive at its destination next year.

7) Moon Bases

In 1959, Wernher von Braun of NASA predicted that man would make it to Mars by 1982, a time frame that had obviously passed. But there are some who believe we might have a shot at putting humans on Mars by 2026. This raises many questions about how we would actually get there and what life on another planet would be like. Colonizing other planets will mean establishing entire cities with restaurants, apartments, hospitals, and more. It also means that all of those people need food—lots of it—and growing crops on another planet isn’t easy when you don’t have soil or sunlight.