Who would have thought that one day many things we read as science fiction and laughed at as merely an overactive imagination were about to get real. This is all about the advances in science that are surreal and unfolding right before our eyes in the century itself.
Swanky spacesuit
Have you seen Buzz Lightyear (of Toy Story fame) in his smart spacesuit and wondered why astronauts don’t get to wear stuff like that? It looks like they were having the very same thoughts because NASA has given its nod for the Z1 Spacesuit. Astronaut suits so far have been painfully difficult to get into and surprisingly, there have been no new variations since 1992! Surely, astronauts like fashionable wear too? The rear entry feature of the Z1 Spacesuit means that an astronaut just has to step inside instead of going through complicated manoeuvres. It’s a pity the suit doesn’t have a laser gun and pop-up wings… yet!
Robots in space
The Robonaut programme has produced four humanoid robots that can tackle different jobs with the same speed and ability as humans. While they may look and behave like humans from the waist up, they do not have any legs to make it all the more easy to attach them onto landing modules or rovers. And there are other perks too – they don’t need to breathe and better still they don’t get bored, ever.
ZAPPP!
Star Wars has made it clear that laser sabres are the bee’s knees! Now, scientists are convinced that these are the exact things we need just in case there’s an inter-galactic war in the future – chemical lasers and particle beams. This is mostly because lasers have a very long range as they travel at the speed of light. Beware aliens!
Holidaying in space
You don’t have to be an astronaut to travel in space. Got $200,000? You could win a trip to space… for a few minutes. An added attraction: commercial spaceships are designed to look much cooler. USA based Virgin Group’s subdivision, Virgin Galactic, will be offering these space trips. Early birds get to make the most of this before it gets cheaper and more commonplace.
Moon base
Moon landings are so last century… setting up a moon base is the ‘new’ news! NASA plans to set up a moon base on the side of the moon facing away from the Earth. The base would come equipped with its own manned craft to explore the moon better. And in the near future, when space missions to Mars become as frequent as seeing solar eclipses, a moon base will be the perfect gateway base.
Mars, we’re coming!
Among all the unbelievable science fiction we’ve read, the most unlikely one seemed to be setting up colonies on another planet. Yet, a Mars colony is very close to becoming a reality. Elon Musk, the owner of the space transport company Space X, has ambitious plans. He wants as many as 80,000 people inhabiting the little red planet by this century. As far-fetched as it sounds, it apparently is quite feasible, at a mere budget of $36 billion. The one way ticket offered to Mars is definitely an out-of-the-world experience for space enthusiasts. However, the keyword to note is ‘one way’.
Picture Credit : Google
