The AI who fell to Mars.

 Let's face it. 

From Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of the Worlds, one lyric (from the Eve of War)
    "The chances that anything coming from Mars is a million in one, he said
      The chances that anything coming from Mars is a million to one,
       But still, they come!"

Paraphrasing this wonderful lyric, I could say "The chances of anything going to Mars is a million in one, but still, they continue to build rockets!"

So, the chances that Earthman (and yes, it means boys and girls) will travel to and return from Mars is so slim within our current knowledge-base, that we may as well make more Sci-fi movies like The Martian or John Carter or that abominable Total Recall (the Paul Verhoeven version).  

And why so, you ask?

The answer is easy: gravity or rather the effect of microgravity on the human body and the distance to Mars. 
Microgravity wreaks havoc on the astronaut during a 6-to-9 month trip to Mars. 

Microgravity during a trip to Mars (lasting approximately 6-9 months each way, plus time on the surface) will present significant health challenges for the crew, primarily affecting the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neuro-ocular systems, as well as causing general physical deconditioning and potential immune system changes. 

Without the mechanical stress of gravity, weight-bearing bones (like the spine and hips) lose mineral density at an alarming rate, averaging about 1–1.5% per month. Muscles, particularly those in the lower body and back used for posture and movement on Earth, rapidly weaken and decrease in mass (up to 20-30% on a six-month mission). This loss of strength and endurance could make it very difficult for astronauts to perform tasks immediately upon landing on Mars.

In microgravity, the normal downward pull of gravity is absent, causing bodily fluids to shift towards the upper body and head. This results in a puffy face appearance and can lead to elevated intracranial pressure. The heart works less hard in space, leading to a decrease in heart muscle mass and overall cardiovascular deconditioning. Upon returning to a gravity field (either Mars or Earth), astronauts may experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting when standing due to an impaired ability to regulate blood pressure and a reduced blood volume.

Astronauts currently use intensive daily exercise regimens (up to 2.5 hours per day) and careful nutrition to mitigate many of these effects on the ISS, but a Mars mission will be a much longer, multi-stage journey, requiring further research and potentially new countermeasures like artificial gravity systems or advanced pharmacological interventions. 

What are the alternatives if we still insist on traveling to Mars?

 

The alternatives, and these can be any of these or a combination (most likely):

1. Artificial Gravity

The latest in artificial gravity for spacecrafts involves ongoing research into the physiological effects on humans, ground-based simulations, and private sector proposals for future space stations that would use rotational methods to simulate gravity. There are currently no practical applications of artificial gravity for humans in space, such as on the ISS or existing spacecraft, due to significant engineering, cost, and health challenges. 

The primary driver for artificial gravity research is its potential to mitigate severe long-term health risks of microgravity, such as bone density loss, muscle atrophy, and vision problems, during missions to Mars and beyond. Rotational Gravity (Centrifugal Force) remains the only confirmed, practical method to create artificial gravity. By spinning a spacecraft or a module within it, a centrifugal force pushes occupants toward the outer hull, simulating weight.  Key challenges with rotational systems include the required large size and mass of the spacecraft for a comfortable, slow rotation rate (to avoid motion sickness and Coriolis effects), and the engineering complexity of balancing and controlling such a system in orbit.

In summary, artificial gravity is still in the research and conceptual design phase, with no large-scale systems currently deployed for human use in space. The latest work focuses on better understanding human physiological needs and developing more feasible design concepts, especially for future deep space missions.

2. Human Hibernation

The latest in human hibernation research for long space missions involves ongoing studies by space agencies like the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA into "synthetic torpor"—a medically induced state of reduced metabolic activity. While still in the early research phase, significant progress is being made in understanding how to induce and maintain this state safely, moving it closer to a reality for future deep space travel. 

Mimicking Animal Hibernation (Torpor): The primary focus is to replicate the physiological changes seen in large hibernating animals like bears, who can remain in a state of reduced metabolism for months without significant muscle or bone loss. Medical Parallels (Therapeutic Hypothermia): Researchers are building on existing medical practices where induced hypothermia is used in critical care to slow metabolism during long, complex surgeries or after cardiac arrest. This has proven safe for short durations (up to 14 days) and serves as a foundation for achieving longer stasis.

Pharmacological Agents: Studies are exploring the use of specific drugs, particularly inhalation anesthetics and alpha-2-adrenergic receptor (A2AR) agonists, to safely induce and maintain a torpor-like state. The challenge is to maintain the state for long periods without harmful side effects. Non-invasive Techniques: A recent advancement involves using transcranial ultrasound stimulation to target specific brain regions (the preoptic area of the hypothalamus) that regulate torpor in animals. This non-invasive method has successfully induced a hypometabolic state in rodents for over 24 hours and is being explored for human application.

Induced torpor is seen as a game-changer for Mars missions, which can take 7-10 months one way. Lowering metabolism can cut down the need for food, water, and oxygen by up to 75%, significantly reducing spacecraft mass and mission costs. Hibernation may help mitigate severe health risks of microgravity and radiation exposure, as a slowed metabolism offers some protection at a cellular level. It would minimize boredom, loneliness, and interpersonal conflicts associated with long-term confinement. Space agencies are moving from theory to design. The ESA has commissioned studies on theoretical designs for "hibernation pods". NASA's SpaceWorks program (through a NIAC grant) has proposed habitat designs for Mars transfer that incorporate compact stasis pods, envisioning a rotation system where one crew member remains awake to handle emergencies.

Human trials for prolonged torpor are not yet underway, but researchers are fine-tuning techniques on animals. Experts with the ESA suggest that, depending on funding and research success, human torpor trials could be a realistic possibility within the next decade.

3. Artificial Intelligence Humanoid and/or quadrupedal AI vehicle.

In place of sending humans to Mars as a first step, the use of AI humanoids and multipedal AI vehicles could decrease the waiting time for humans. The hard work of establishing a human base on Mars can be completed while humans are still figuring out on how to get there safely. 
Some of the advantages are - no problem with microgravity and its negatives, no need to store food for the voyage - AI occupants will also continue learning about Mars and possible pitfalls during the long voyage from Earth. These AI-based tools are expendable and can be re-used/recycled on Mars. 

The Morals of AI

Are AI Morals as simple as Asimov's Three Laws of Robots?

Not a day goes by when there is no mention of something that AI caused or allowed to happen. The world is now super-aware of deep faking, the potential loss of income by graphic artists where art is produced by AI image generators, cases where scientific research papers were generated by Chat Bots using advanced Large Language Models (LLM) and even failure by self-driving vehicles to prevent negative outcomes (crashes, getting lost). 

In fact, the general public is more wary of potential harm which could be caused by AI. 

If the ultimate aim of AI (and robotics) is to safely assist humans in their daily tasks, surely some simple safeguards could be put in place. What not use the old Laws of Robotics to protect humans?

To refresh the memory of some or explain to others - in the world of science fiction there exists the 3 Laws of Robots:

• First Law

  A robot must not harm a human or allow harm to come to a human through inaction.
   
  Second Law
• A robot must obey human orders, unless doing so would conflict with the First Law. 
  
  Third Law
• A robot must protect its own existence, unless doing so would conflict with the First or Second Law

Origin of Asimov's Three Laws and the later Fourth Law

"Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics originated from a conversion between the author and his editor, John Campbell, about whether robots should follow human laws. The laws first appeared in Asimov's 1942 short story, Runaround, which was later included in the anthology I, Robot.

Asimov later added a fourth law, called Law Zero, in his 1985 work Robots and Empire. Law Zero states that "A robot cannot harm humanity or allow humanity to be harmed through inaction". 

Asimov's laws are considered the ethical and moral basis for developing autonomous systems. They have been used as a blueprint for ethical AI and
have been referenced in popular culture". 

This section produced after consulting Goole Search Labs | AI Overview.

Weaknesses in Asimov's Laws

First Law: A robot must not harm a human or allow harm to come to a human through inaction.

The first weakness in these laws, starting with the First Law, is the language of the law.
In any "law" of this magnitude there cannot be any doubt or misinterpretation of any word.
The following are words not adequately defined:
    robot, harm, human, inaction.

Of course, in the stories penned by Asimov, these weaknesses are in fact the plot devices which give the theme of the robot stories.

Before we can even discuss the words of the laws, we need to consider that Asimov's robots are all contain positronic brains which are hard-wired with the 3/4 laws of robotics. Once the positronic brain is installed, it is trained to fulfill whatever the task the owner requested. 

How can AI be taught morals?

Ethicists and technologists now advocate for:

• Human-centered design: Prioritizing dignity, rights, and agency.

• Accountability frameworks: Ensuring traceability, oversight, and redress.

• Contextual ethics: Adapting moral reasoning to specific domains (e.g., healthcare vs. policing).

• Expanded principles: Some propose a “Fourth Law” — that robots must be designed to benefit humanity as a whole.

• Why We Should Expand Asimov’s Three Laws Of Robotics With A 4th Law

• More reading about this topic is here Asimov's Three Laws: Are They Applicable Today? – AI Guv