Space travel has moved beyond the realm of science fiction

The world watched in awe on Oct. 13 as the 20-story-tall booster of SpaceX’s Starship rocket landed perfectly on the arms of the company’s launch tower near Brownsville, Texas. Fittingly for a major milestone toward SpaceX’s goal of making Starship a fully reusable rocket system, clips of the dramatic first catch of the booster went viral on social networks. For a few hours, it seemed that interplanetary travel was no longer confined to the realm of science fiction.
However, just because SpaceX owner Elon Musk has stated his ambition to send a manned mission to Mars does not guarantee that he will achieve this goal in his lifetime. Back in 2016, he predicted that the first crewed launches to Mars could occur within six years, despite the heavy rocket needed for the mission still being at the concept stage. In his keynote speech at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, he outlined his vision for manned missions to Mars, claiming they could begin as soon as 2022.
As for the reasons driving his plan, Musk identified “two fundamental paths” facing humanity today: “One is that we stay on Earth forever and then there will be an inevitable extinction event. The alternative is to become a spacefaring civilization and a multi-planetary species.” Eight years later, within minutes of the successful Oct. 13 booster catch, Musk gushed on X that a “big step toward making life multiplanetary was made today.”
What this “big step” signifies for now is something more modest. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson captured the sentiment in his congratulations on X: “As we prepare to go back to the moon under #Artemis, continued testing will prepare us for the bold missions that lie ahead — including to the South Pole region of the Moon and then on to Mars.”
Indeed, if perfect booster catches become commonplace in the coming months, NASA’s plan to once again land humans on the moon by 2026 will no longer seem overly ambitious, especially given that one of the many reasons for delays is a lack of partner hardware. The proposed Human Landing System, which will take humans from lunar orbit to the surface and then return astronauts to orbit, is essentially a modified form of Starship.
The idea of routine interplanetary travel has been with us since it was vividly conjured in Arthur C. Clarke’s science-fiction novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1968. Written at a time when humans had not yet set foot on the moon, and space exploration programs in the US and the Soviet Union were only beginning, the novel envisioned a future of interstellar travel.
Today, private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin are driving innovation at a much faster pace than traditional government space agencies could manage in the past. Advances in propulsion systems, including research into ion thrusters and nuclear propulsion, promise faster and more energy-efficient space travel. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Starship have revolutionized space travel by developing reusable rockets, drastically reducing launch costs. Payload capacity has increased substantially, with Starship able to carry over 100 metric tonnes of cargo, supporting large-scale missions to Mars and beyond.

Saudi Arabia launched its first astronauts to the International Space Station in 2023 and aims to enhance its space sector through Vision 2030 initiatives.

Arnab Neil Sengupta

Moreover, deep-space communication has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Improvements in communication technology, including laser-based systems, will facilitate high-speed data transmission between planets. Additionally, autonomous navigation and AI are set to enhance mission management and ensure precise landings on other celestial bodies. Habitat development is also advancing, with NASA’s Artemis mission and research into habitats like the Lunar Gateway paving the way for sustainable off-Earth living conditions.
Simultaneously, technologies such as in-situ resource utilization could enable humans to harvest water, oxygen, and fuel from planetary bodies. Medical advancements, driven by research into human health in space, may help mitigate the risks of prolonged interplanetary travel. Ultimately, affordable interplanetary travel and exploration could stimulate new industries, tourism and resource extraction, generating a mix of economic and societal benefits.
However, the potential drawbacks must not be overlooked. The energy demands and pollution from frequent spacecraft launches could adversely affect Earth’s environment. Increased interplanetary missions might lead to a surge in space debris, complicating travel and endangering spacecraft. Initially, affordable travel may only be accessible to the wealthy, deepening existing economic and social divides. Moreover, competition for space resources or territorial claims could result in geopolitical tensions or conflicts on other planets.
Lastly, serious health hazards remain. Prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation and low-gravity environments could pose significant long-term health risks to astronauts and space tourists.
On Oct. 13, social media posts about the Starship booster catch briefly eclipsed discussions about the numerous conflicts raging across the Arab world. The juxtaposition of images showing the “super heavy” booster descending on a launch tower in one part of planet earth and fiery airstrikes in another part of it was surreal. But this is the reality of 2024.
An interesting comment on X by @ramia_yahia regarding the booster catch encapsulated the contrasting developments thus: “The company owned by Elon Musk plans to use Starship to colonize Mars. What do we Arabs aspire to?” For many Arabs, the answer to that question is likely “Peace and security in our time.” However, as the saying goes, time and tide wait for no man, and one could add: The march of technology is unstoppable.
Far-sighted Arab leaders understand that the region cannot afford to miss the bus. Saudi Arabia launched its first astronauts to the International Space Station in 2023 and aims to enhance its space sector through Vision 2030 initiatives. The Saudi Space Agency was established in December 2018 by royal decree to develop and regulate the Kingdom’s space sector. Similarly, the UAE has made rapid strides with its Hope Mars orbiter and plans for a lunar mission, having sent two Emiratis to the ISS as part of an ambitious space program designed to inspire future generations and spark interest in science and technology in the Arab world.
As mankind stands on the brink of a new era in space exploration, the possibilities are vast and mind-boggling. Even as their political leaders and top diplomats strive for regional peace and security, the aspirations of Arabs should reach as high as the stars.

• Arnab Neil Sengupta is a senior editor at Arab News. X: @arnabnsg