Science Friday

What Should Astronauts Do First When They Reach Mars?

January 6, 2026

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  • The top science priority for a crewed Mars mission, as outlined in the National Academies report discussed on Science Friday, is the search for life, which also informs habitability studies for future human stays. 
  • The first human missions to Mars are envisioned as a campaign of three missions, potentially involving stays ranging from 30 to 500 Mars days, emphasizing a building exercise where one mission supports the next. 
  • Successful large-scale scientific endeavors like the Psyche mission depend on creating a psychologically safe environment where the most junior team members feel empowered to report critical problems early, as failure to do so can lead to costly mission slips. 

Segments

Mars Mission Science Priorities
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(00:00:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The primary scientific objective for sending humans to Mars is the search for life, according to the new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
  • Summary: The top priority for human exploration of Mars is searching for life, a goal whose necessary investigations will also yield significant data about Martian habitability and conditions for humans. The aspiration for human interplanetary travel is framed as a monumental, inspirational moment in human history. Dr. Elkins-Tanton confirms that while the mission is aspirational for humanity, the science objectives are paramount.
Mars Mission Duration Options
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(00:02:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Orbital dynamics dictate two primary mission profiles for human Mars exploration: short stays of 30 to 90 Mars days or long stays of 300 to 500 Mars days.
  • Summary: The first human campaign to Mars is envisioned as three missions, starting with a short 30-day stay to test systems and gather initial samples. The duration of the surface stay is determined by the relative orbital positions of Earth and Mars at the time of travel. Future habitation could range from staying within the lander to establishing a more permanent base.
Human vs. Robotic Exploration Value
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(00:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Humans offer superior agility, decision-making capabilities, and visual acuity compared to robotic agents, making their presence essential for complex sampling and unexpected repairs on Mars.
  • Summary: Missions will involve humans working in concert with robotic agents, referred to as ‘agents’ in the report. Human eyesight is significantly more effective in person than relayed through robotics, aiding close examination of samples. Humans provide agility in decision-making and the ability to quickly adapt plans when unexpected events occur.
Personal Thoughts on Mars Travel
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(00:05:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Dr. Elkins-Tanton expressed a personal desire to go to Mars due to a love for the extreme and the unprecedented nature of the journey, but ultimately stated she would remain on Earth for friends and family.
  • Summary: The guest finds the prospect of extreme, unexpected, and novel experiences highly appealing, suggesting a personal inclination toward space travel. However, the commitment to friends and family on Earth outweighs the desire to undertake the journey. Earth remains the nicest known place for humans to live.
Psyche Mission Science Rationale
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(00:06:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The Psyche mission targets an asteroid believed to be the exposed metal core of a planetesimal, offering the only opportunity to study the first generation of planetary cores in the solar system.
  • Summary: Psyche is unique because it is the first mission targeting an object with a metal surface, unlike the rocky or gaseous bodies previously investigated. Scientists hypothesize it is the core remnant of a small planet that failed to accrete into a larger body early in solar system formation. Studying this core is crucial for understanding how rocky planets form and how their metal cores generate magnetic fields necessary for habitability.
Psyche Mission Development Timeline
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(00:09:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The Psyche mission proposal process began in 2011, involving three years of competition and the creation of a thousand-page proposal before the spacecraft launched in 2023 for a 2029 arrival.
  • Summary: Dr. Elkins-Tanton admitted to not naturally possessing delayed gratification, highlighting the long timeline of space missions. The process involved intense collaboration, including writing a massive proposal with over a hundred people. The mission’s launch in 2023 is the culmination of over a decade of planning and development.
Principles of High-Performing Teams
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(00:11:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Effective teams prioritize deep respect for individual expertise over status signaling and hierarchy, ensuring that the most junior members feel safe reporting bad news early enough to fix problems.
  • Summary: The fundamental unit of human experience is relationships networked into teams, making collaboration the hardest yet most rewarding aspect of complex projects. The guiding principle for the Psyche team was: ’the best news is bad news brought early enough to fix it.’ Creating safety for the person soldering the wire or writing the code to speak up is vital for mission success.
Team Failure Example: Psyche Slip
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(00:14:33)
  • Key Takeaway: The failure to meet the original 2022 launch date for Psyche was directly attributed to a breakdown in team communication where warnings from the guidance, navigation, and control software team were not effectively escalated through management layers.
  • Summary: The slip from the 2022 to the 2023 launch date caused significant stress and pain for the dedicated team members. The critical issue involved the guidance, navigation, and control software not being fully tested in time. This failure demonstrated that leadership did not successfully create an environment where warnings from technical experts could bypass status signaling and reach decision-makers.
The Purpose of Science
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(00:17:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The purpose of science is to serve as a set of tools for understanding the world, making incremental progress toward truth by constantly questioning and amending existing knowledge.
  • Summary: Science progresses by providing slightly more lasting and true answers that offer a foothold for the next step in understanding. It is a process of knowing all the questions and continuously asking them, as nearly all scientific discoveries are subject to future amendment or overturning. This relentless questioning allows humanity to grind inexorably closer to absolute knowledge about the universe.