When it comes to space travel, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of the most important is how to slow down a spacecraft when it enters the atmosphere of a planet.
In the movie The Martian, the crew of the Hermes spacecraft had to figure out how to slow down their ship so that they could rescue their stranded colleague from the surface of Mars. So, what did they use?
The Hermes Crew and Their Mission
The Hermes was a fictional spacecraft featured in the movie The Martian. Its crew was on a mission to explore Mars and conduct scientific research on the planet’s surface. However, when one of their crew members is left stranded on Mars after an unexpected dust storm, they must figure out how to rescue him before his supplies run out.
Slowing Down in Space
Slowing down in space is not as simple as hitting the brakes like you would in a car. In fact, there are no brakes in space! Instead, spacecraft use thrusters and engines to change their velocity and direction.
When entering a planet’s atmosphere, however, things get more complicated. The friction from the atmosphere can cause a spacecraft to overheat and break apart if it enters too quickly. This is why it’s important for spacecraft to slow down before entering an atmosphere.
The Solution: Aerobraking
The crew of the Hermes used a technique called aerobraking to slow down their ship as it approached Mars. Aerobraking involves using the planet’s atmosphere as a braking force.
As the Hermes entered Mars’ atmosphere, its heat shield protected it from burning up due to friction with the air molecules. The ship then used its thrusters and engines to adjust its trajectory and angle so that it would skim along the top of Mars’ atmosphere like a stone skipping across water.
This process allowed for gradual deceleration as atmospheric drag slowed down the spacecraft over time. By the time the Hermes reached the surface of Mars, it was traveling at a slow enough speed to land safely.
The Risks of Aerobraking
While aerobraking can be an effective way to slow down a spacecraft, it is not without risks. If a spacecraft enters an atmosphere too quickly, it can overheat and break apart. If it enters too slowly, it may not slow down enough to land safely.
The crew of the Hermes had to carefully balance their approach and angle of entry to ensure that they slowed down enough without risking their safety.
In Conclusion
Slowing down a spacecraft in space is no easy feat, but thanks to techniques like aerobraking, it is possible. The crew of the Hermes used this technique successfully to rescue their stranded colleague from Mars in The Martian. While there are risks involved in aerobraking, careful planning and execution can make it a safe and effective way to slow down a spacecraft when entering an atmosphere.