The Mars Underground

The Mars Underground

2007, Science  -   56 Comments
8.60
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Ratings: 8.60/10 from 113 users.

The Mars UndergroundThis film captures the spirit of Mars pioneers who refuse to let their dreams be put on hold by a slumbering space program. Their passionate urge to walk the soil of an alien world is infectious and inspirational. This film is the manifesto of the new space revolution.

Leading aerospace engineer and Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin has a dream. He wants to get humans to the planet Mars in the next ten years.

Now, with the advent of a revolutionary plan, Mars Direct, Dr. Zubrin shows how we can use present day technology and natural resources on Mars to make human settlement possible. But can he win over the skeptics at NASA and the wider world?

The Mars Underground is a landmark documentary that follows Dr. Zubrin and his team as they try to bring this incredible dream to life. Through spellbinding animation, the film takes us on a daring first journey to the Red Planet and envisions a future Mars teeming with life and terraformed into a blue world.

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alex
alex
3 years ago

can somebody answer this questions please:

1. In what year do we they imagine we can begin a mission to Mars?

2. What are the different factors that make scientists believe that humans can live on Mars?

3. Who is Dr. Zubrin? Why is he being interviewed for this movie?

4. What is SEI?

5. How long would it take to get to Mars?

6. What is Mars direct?

7. What is the Mars Society? How did it start?

8. After learning about the different factors for us to visit Mars, do you think you could manage going? Why?

9. How important do you think travelling to Mars is?

10. Should humanity spend its energy, time and money on something else? Why?

Jerry lehane iii
Jerry lehane iii
4 years ago

I found live people and animals 2004 from mars rover pics .google images "jerry lehane mars".people have cure for cancer in DNA SINCE ATMOSPHERE is thin and harsh radiation.....animals too.MARS people wear light clothes,no space suites or breathing devicES I designed mars rover s1987

Charles Bowers
Charles Bowers
5 years ago

I am very encouraged by this documentary. I must admit that I am not able to gauge how feasible this project is, but I trust science to make that decision for us. I feel that we are obligated to colonize any planet (that has no indigenous life) in order to insure the continuation of Humanity. I feel we are also obligated (when we are able to) to colonize outside our solar system and even other Galaxies (eventually), as a species this is the purpose of our lives which we have been working towards for thousands of years. Humans have always shown great courage and a willingness to take chances, I mean look how many hundreds of humans have already given their lives in exploration for the future betterment of mankind

Patrick
Patrick
5 years ago

Although this is an old video, it is in fact Spacex's plan. It's worth a watch and study because of that. Elon is serious about his venture, and this documentary does lay out how structurally it would happen.

I think there are many risks in going to Mars, but they are worth it. Yes, we don't know in fact if the gravity of Mars is enough to sustain human physiology (bone and muscle wasting), we don't know about the ability to survive the radiation environment there, we don't know the risks of endogenous pathogen transport and epidemic risks with such a closed-in and small initial population, etc, ... but there's no way to know without trying.

Zubrin is a legendary visionary. Time will judge the value of his contribution.

zooeyhall
zooeyhall
7 years ago

I'm old enough to still remember the Gemini missions of the 1960's. And--as an avid fan of Star Trek and similar shows---nothing would inspire me more than a space colony on Mars. Unfortunately, sincere wishes do not make reality. Serious questions have been unanswered or glossed-over by the "Mission to Mars" crowd. The terrible radiation, the lack of atmosphere, uncertainty over water--these are just a few of the fundamental problems that the "Mars people" seem to think are already solved. They aren't.

It's going to take some solid and unique advances in technology, to enable humans to live on Mars independently and with a real future. Advances in safe rocketry, habitat construction, and radiation protection. And once those are solved, what about the issues about humans living a fulfilling life on a planet where you can't step out the door? This isn't like colonizing the New World was like. I think some folks need to take-off their "dreamer" caps and get a dose of reality. Those thousands who have signed up for the Mars One expedition may have signed up for a suicide lottery.

matt732
matt732
8 years ago

Either explore, overcome new challenges or stagnate and decay.
Either populate the Universe or wait for the extinction event.

Erick Le Wooz
Erick Le Wooz
9 years ago

Making a TOO giant step is the best way to stumble, with
human loss and consequences. Right, why don't we learn to walk first before
starting a marathon? What have we done on the moon so far? Camping! 3?, 4 days
in a row? Blimey! What an achievement! Next (logical) step is a permanent base
on the moon and then after human behaviour studies, problems management
studies, resources management studies send a team for a trip without assistance
to Mars 6 month to go , 6 month to come back. 2099??????

cindy manoog
cindy manoog
9 years ago

Fng Nasa has been to fng Mars and beyond, they just are not letting you know it.

freewilly
freewilly
10 years ago

good plan, many people have the same vision
We will get there eventually if we can pull off the biggest trick 'fusion', and get off our dependence on fossil fuels, then space travel within the solar system will be a breeze

?????????? ???????
?????????? ???????
10 years ago

I found this documentary very misleading and dangerously treading cold war / nationalist lines. The documentary claims that other space agencies in European Union, Russia and China are *actually* planning Mars missions. It then points out that USA does not -- which is precisely that: USA is not currently planning such a mission. Other nations do and the humankind as a whole will very likely travel to Mars in the next couple of decades or so. I really don't see how and on what grounds is this proposed as a 'humanitarian' mission (the documentary depicts non-American people from various countries such as India). It is clearly a *political* documentary about USA, and only really affects those who will rather see NASA step on Mars rather than the Chinese or the Russians or Europeans.

Well, guess what: This is not the Cold War. We do not require every space agency to design a Mars mission. NASA is doing incredible research as it is, and it provides us with millions of new data and research on an annual basis.

Space exploration is not and should not be a national concern anymore. If the documentary creator wants to go to Mars, then he can join one of the other space agencies that are currently designing such misisons.

Man as a species will go to Mars. Hopefully, man as American, Chinese, Russian or German will NOT go to Mars. Let's not pollute Mars with our nationalist agendas.

Moon Monika CH
Moon Monika CH
10 years ago

I liked this documentary. Not sure how realistic this all is (knowing humans) but it would be great if things went as described here.

I just wonder - isn't the lack of the magnetic field a problem? As far as I know without it the atmosphere can be blown away by the solar winds. How are they planning to keep the atmosphere there even if it is generated over long period of time? Or did I miss something?

erkki hagelin
erkki hagelin
11 years ago

we cant fix our planet and your talking bringing back to life old dead planet? what are u? KIDS? take 45bil or 250bil from military and fix the smoke from factory or whatever causing problems to my home, our home!

not to some " marsian kids " who i dont give f about.

Kip Keino
Kip Keino
11 years ago

If humans are to survive as a species, it's imperative to colonize outwards. There are and will always be grave problems on Earth.

Kip Keino
Kip Keino
11 years ago

Like it! in 2012 I wrote a sci-fi ebook titled; Mastodons on Mars. Check it out. Has similar themes plus more.

Paul Gloor
Paul Gloor
11 years ago

But the idea is, this is our home planet, it is very important and we have to protect it... pft... I think we're doing more to damage earth than any martian bacteria could.

I think a mission to mars is a REQUIRED focal point. Without the goal, we think about all our petty things and differences and life continues a downward spiral. With a mars mission looming, we think about people living in a collapsed ecosystem and how we can make them prosper. That technology applies here... right here at home, right now !!
It is not the realm of private enterprise to pave the way to a positive future, as can be seen how well its working now.

sandae
sandae
11 years ago

to maxxxeee,

I admit what you're saying but isn't it different whether we have to survive this financial crisis of our own making and whether we want to pursue better possibility of technology and science?
I mean we live in a complex world where what each one of us is doing always affects other people's lives. That is how animals on earth have been surviving so far. True human beings are exceptional in that we can rationalize our thoughts and exchange them beyond our biological and psychological limitation. As a result of this, our lives are always being interrupted in one way or another,most of which I believe are money related. Sooner or later, part of the world will be a "stand alone complex" world.
But we have to divide such direct reflection of what we do everyday from scientific discoveries by a few giniuses.
And as long as we have to live in the world of science and know if we know who we are, we should devote to being acquainted with more of the literacy for the science.

tan qiu yan
tan qiu yan
11 years ago

maybe then. we could establish the religion of the floating spaghetti monster

Ne Larkin
Ne Larkin
11 years ago

Very interesting, but would humans destroy Mars as they are destroying Earth??!!! Why not take same resources & fix the atmospheric, environmental, political, & social disasters man have created on Earth & then think about Mars after??!!

Angel San Lorenzo Hernandez
Angel San Lorenzo Hernandez
11 years ago

I Agree whith Chrosmata . The lack of magnetic field may be a great problem in order to keep life in Mars but meanwhile why don´t try to reach Mars as visitors.

toddy potseed
toddy potseed
11 years ago

by nature human kind are explorers. There has been always someone who wanted to see whats around the hill or across the body of water. Even though people on Mars may be a long while why not start to persue it now. It will be one step closer to happening. We did it once by going to the moon so lets do it again this time Mars. Yes we do have issues on the home front, but this could be a common ground issue to help solve them. Maybe its a pipe dream, but a dream is still a dream.

pia96
pia96
11 years ago

inspirational, I admire thats man's drive and passion.

maxxxeee
maxxxeee
11 years ago

Hi,

Great Documentary, Great idea, great people, I do really like it and the idea, but lets not loose sight of our home earth, we are in the worst financial mess we have ever had and it will get worse, about 3 billion people are hungry and about 1.5 billion are starving, huge amounts of money are spent in weapons and defense world wide, we wage war for profit or lies, we cant cure diseases such as cancer, aids, the heart, we are poisoning our planet daily, we are running out of fuel, technologies that are just amazing, cell phones, internet, etc, that educate us and let us communicate and learn are being used to dum us down. If I was an alien I would tell earth people "hey take care of your own house before you head out to change other neighborhoods, clean up your mess then maybe you can go" .................

Chrosmata
Chrosmata
11 years ago

As much as I'd like to wish all of this could be true it's really just a pipe dream. Even if Mars once had an atmosphere and life, there must have been some pretty large forces that made it impossible. One of those forces is reality. Mars is roughly half the size of earth, and its core is barely molten. Meaning not a lot of gravity to hold an atmosphere if it had it. And second without a molten core, it has no shield against solar and cosmic rays. That being said even if it could hold an atmosphere, it couldn't even protect it from being scattered away from radiation. In my opinion we're not even going too much life evidence on Mars anyhow. As (again in my opinion) Mars used to be a part of the asteroid belt, more specifically the core of a protoplanet, or planet that was destroyed a long time ago. The asteroid belt is a debris belt from the event. Most of the rest of the stuff lies on the surface of the sun, the core itself lost a lot of mass and energy then, and now sits conciderably closer to the sun.

cwmhale
cwmhale
11 years ago

What about the Mars Monster!

Deejay Es
Deejay Es
11 years ago

whats with these flags man , djeeezus , why don't we have an earth flag ?

terry tibbs
terry tibbs
11 years ago

so, he thought about doing something like a mars mission aged 9 (a normal fantasy of his generation). has since been getting older and better at thinking about how to do this, trying to influence others about it, but isnt it time he just grew up?
everyone knows theyve already been to mars, secretly, there wasnt any gold there and are now theyre tapping, drilling the vast resources of un-obtanium found on the secret 9th planet nibiru, because they can feed it to the lockness monster in return for its hamburger faecies.......

Pythus
Pythus
11 years ago

nice soundtrack

Hussain Fahmy
Hussain Fahmy
11 years ago

Conversion of the Weapon Industry to Space Development could generate lost employment and begin life in Space.

TheDanishViking
TheDanishViking
11 years ago

Great movie!

Devon Griffiths
Devon Griffiths
11 years ago

The idea of colonizing Mars is not just science fiction, it's science fantasy. It has no Van Allen belts and is exposed to direct solar radiation. It does not have the gravity to hold an atmosphere. Even if it did, the idea of creating a breathable atmosphere there when we cannot even maintain this one is absurd. Nor will it do anything to solve our population problems - it could not do so, even if it were perfectly suited to human life right now. The cost of transporting millions or billions is greater than all the resources and production we have.

It could be worthwhile to send a manned expedition, but colonization of planets in gravity wells is simply not the future of space exploration.

Yes, we could build artificial environments on Mars - but why? We can build them much easier in space itself. If humans are to become a spacefaring species, they must learn to live in unfamiliar environments, not familiar ones. We stay out of gravity wells and acquire the resources we need in low-grav environments, using centrifugal force to create artificial gravity. We obtain energy from the sun, water and minerals from asteroids, never having to expend massive amounts of fuel to enter and leave gravity wells. Gravity wells are prisons and I believe a spacefaring species does not move between them, but simply escapes them altogether.

marcosanthonytoledo
marcosanthonytoledo
11 years ago

The space program has been a dog and poney show for the last 40 years we waste more on stupid unnessary wars than we ever spent on the space program it about time we invest in our real future for once greaqt show.

scruffy12u
scruffy12u
11 years ago

full of hope that one day it will happen in my life time but as on earth it all down to cash

joshua89
joshua89
11 years ago

What a great and inspiring documentary. I do hope that before I shuffle of these mortal coils, I get to see mankind on others planets. Maybe even talk a walk myself.
Keep reaching for those stars.

Carl Hendershot
Carl Hendershot
11 years ago

Uggs seen this already.

Carl Hendershot
Carl Hendershot
11 years ago

Finally something new.

KsDevil
KsDevil
11 years ago

I wish Zubron would stop makeing an emotional plea and begin making a scietific and economic plea. Politicans are immune to the emotions of the people but are very susceptible to their own ego and financial enticements.
We just ned to get over the current financial mess first.
Of course if Zubrin could find a way for an independen group to take on this project...I wonder if Virgin is heading in that direction.

Crab_Nebula
Crab_Nebula
11 years ago

But Mars has no moon.. we gotta get to Europa , Enceladus, and Titan too.

Name the spacecraft Astronomy Domine. In a tribute to Syd Barrett.

DigiWongaDude
DigiWongaDude
11 years ago

Dr. Robert Zubrin is an unreasonable man trying to do an unreasonable thing - we could do with more of them. Triumph of a documentary.

DigiWongaDude
DigiWongaDude
11 years ago

If this was made in 2006, (IMDB & it's reviews, says 2007), how does it refer to Obama three years later, in 2010 (ref 07:15). I smell a conspiracy theory. Maybe there's a secret society already on Mars...