Are we alone in the universe, or is there other life out there waiting to be discovered? To find the answer of this question, Scientists are doing a lot of hard work. And they have succeeded to some extent. But why there is need of finding another planets? Will Earth not be able to live? In this article we will try to find the answer of these questions and we will also explore the latest developments, milestones, discovery and challenges.
Why We Need To Find Another Planets:
This planet, Earth, is facing several challenges like climate change, global warming, over population, depletion of natural resources at an alarming rate and environmental pollution etc. And in the upcoming years, Earth will also face some solar disturbance like Asteroid falling, Supernovae explosion, Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections, Cosmic Radiation and Cometary Impacts etc. Due to this scientist thought that the Earth will not be able to live in upcoming years. And it is also a curiosity of scientists to find another planets to explore the interesting facts of universe.
History Of Space Exploration:
The search for life beyond Earth has a long history, with scientists and philosophers exploring the possibility of extraterrestrial life for centuries. Space exploration began in the mid-20th century, but the first attempt of scientists to explore the space physically was, Sputnik 1. It was a small satellite launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. It was launched into a low Earth orbit and transmitted radio signals back to Earth for 21 days, providing valuable data about the upper atmosphere and paving the way for future space exploration. In fact, NASA was created in response to a surprise from the Soviet Union. Sputnik 1 marked the beginning of the space age and sparked a global interest in space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. And from that day to present day, many satellites, space crafts and space missions have been launched by different space agencies including Apollo series, International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope, Curiosity Rover, Voyager 1, Space X’s Starship, James Webb Space Telescope and Lunar Gateway. These missions have significantly advanced our understanding of space, enabled technological innovations, helped us to find another home and paved the way for future exploration. Out of these Apollo 8 was a historic mission in which a first human stepped on Moon. Then the first space station called Salyut 1 was launched into space by Soviet Union on April 19, 1971. And after this few more space stations was launched including Salyut series, Mir, International Space Station and Tiangong. All these missions are done to easy the space exploration and discovery of another life.
Possibilities And Discovery Of Life On Other Planets:
Scientists have discovered places where life is possible to some extent. Here are some of the most promising places in our solar system and beyond where the possibility of life exists: Mars is currently the first priority for searching for life beyond Earth. Evidence of past flowing water, ice caps, and frozen ground suggest water was present in Mars which give the symbol of life. Here are also found some important organic molecules, minerals and methane. The atmosphere of Mars is also stable to some extent. It also experiences seasonal changes. The temperature on Mars can range from 70°F (20°C) to -225°F (-153°C). Mars had a more Earth-like environment in the past, increasing the chances of life emerging. But more research has to be done. The next is Europa, which is a Jupiter’s moon. Europa has a thick icy layer covering a huge ocean. This ocean has twice as much water as all of Earth’s oceans combined, saltwater like our oceans and chemicals that are essential for life. Its subsurface ocean is thought to have the necessary ingredients for life, including organic chemistry. The average temperature Europa is is is around160°C to -220°C (-260°F to -370°F).
Europa’s atmosphere is not suitable for life, but its subsurface ocean protects it from radiation and extreme temperatures making it a promising place to search for life. Next place is Enceladus, the Saturn’s moon. It’s global ocean beneath its icy surface, in contact with rock. It also contains building blocks of life, such as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It has a thin atmosphere mostly containing water vapor, with some nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. The surface temperature of Enceladus is approximately -198°C (-324°F), making it one of the coldest places in the solar system. Despite the thin atmosphere, Enceladus’s geysers and hydrothermal activity make it a promising place for life. The atmosphere’s composition and pressure are not suitable for life as we know it, but the subsurface ocean and hydrothermal vents offer a potential habitat for life. Next is Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. It has a dense atmosphere, rich in nitrogen and methane, making it unique among moons. It’s atmosphere and surface are rich in organic compound. Average temperature is around -179°C (-285°F), making it one of the coldest places in the solar system. But It has a subsurface ocean warmed by tidal heating. It’s surface features lakes and seas filled with liquid methane and ethane, instead of water.
The presence of liquid methane and ethane instead of water makes life on Titan less likely, but scientists are working on it. The next one is Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. It has a subsurface ocean, similar to Europa, which is thought to contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. It experiences tidal heating, which could provide energy for potential life. Its surface temperature is around -150°C to -110°C (-238°F to -166°F) and subsurface ocean temperature is estimated to be around 0°C to 10°C (32°F to 50°F). Its atmosphere is very thin containing oxygen, hydrogen, helium, methane and carbon dioxide. It also contains some important organic components. But scientist has least information about it. Like these, possibility of life is also found in exoplanets like Proxima b, the closest known exoplanet to Earth, located about 4.24 light-years away, in TRAPPIST-1e, Kepler-452b, Gliese 667 Cc, K2-18b, LHS 1140b, Ross 128 b, Gliese 1214 b, 55 Cancri e, and KELT-9b. All these explanets have such components which are essential for life, But it are only up to the possibilities. Because every planets lack some things which are important for life. Still, no planet has been found to be fully capable of supporting life.
Challenges:
Scientists face many problems during space exploration including There is a vast distance between planets. For example, average distance between Earth and Mars is 225 million km (139.8 million miles) and estimated travel time for a space craft to reach Mars is 7 to 8 months, which means a signal sent from Mars takes around 20 minutes to reach Earth. This delay makes real-time communication impossible, requiring scientists to rely on pre-programmed instructions and autonomous decision-making. Likewise, several years or light years are required to reach the other galaxies or planets. Due to this, it makes difficult for humans to travel and communicate. The temperature and radiations of space and planets are very extreme. For example, the temperature of space between planets is around 100-200 Kelvin (-173°C to -73°C or -279°F to -99°F). Every planet has its own temperature. Planets can have temperatures ranging from extremely cold to scorching hot than the Earth, which create problems for survivals. Prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation can cause damage to DNA, which increases the risk of cancer and other health issues.
For example, a trip to Mars could expose astronauts to radiation levels equivalent to 20 chest X-rays. Gravity plays a crucial role in space exploration. Every planet has its own gravity; these varying gravitational forces can affect human bodies and equipment. Zero gravity effects on human body leading to muscle and bone loss, vision impairment, cardiovascular problems and sleep disturbances. It also effects the data transmission and reception and creates problem to communicate. Atmospheric conditions on other planets can be extreme. Extreme temperatures, toxic gases, and atmospheric pressure variations on other planets pose significant challenges for human survival and equipment functionality. For example, Venus’s atmosphere is 92 times thicker than Earth’s, with surface temperatures reaching up to 462°C (863°F). It will also take much time to make colonies in other planets, and in the meantime, we could also face the shortage of food there. Solar flares can create noise in data collection, making it harder to detect bio signatures. Current technology restricts our ability to detect bio signatures and study exoplanet atmospheres. For instance, the James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2023, is studying exoplanet atmospheres but faces challenges in detecting signs of life. Distinguishing between actual bio signatures and false signals is a significant challenge.
There we will also face some unknowns and unforeseen challenges and unexpected discoveries. So scientists need to be aware of all kinds of challenges and also keep in mind the potential challenges that we may face and then prepare their solutions.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the search for life beyond Earth is a big question that has fascinated people for a long time. Since Earth is facing many problems like climate change, resource depletion, and potential solar threats, finding another habitable planet is crucial for humanity’s survival and curiosity. By exploring space, scientists have made significant progress in discovering promising places in our solar system and beyond, including Mars, Europa, Enceladus, Titan, and exoplanets like Proxima b and TRAPPIST-1e. However, many challenges remain, such as huge distances, extreme temperatures and radiations, gravity, atmospheric conditions, and technological limitations. To overcome these hurdles, scientists must continue to innovate, collaborate, and prepare for unexpected challenges. Ultimately, the search for life beyond Earth is a journey worth taking, driving human progress and potentially securing our species’ future in space.