Tim Peake is convinced humans will be colonising Mars by 2030.
Tim Peake is convinced humans will be colonising Mars by 2030
The 51-year-old astronaut also believes the universe is “teeming” with other forms of intelligent life as it is so vast.
Famed as the seventh British person in space, Tim told the Radio Times magazine huge leaps have already been taken in the science behind the colonisation of Mars, especially in terms of travel and food needed to get to and survive on the ‘Red Planet’.
He added: “We have all the technology we need to get back. We just need to get on and build the spacecraft that will take us, and the habitation modules which will keep us alive there.
“We went to the Biosphere in Tucson, Arizona (Biosphere 2, the American Earth system science research facility.)
“It’s phenomenal to see what they’re doing in terms of food production in a simulated Martian environment.
“There are all kinds of steps that we’re taking to make going to Mars a reality, and not something that could happen in 50 years.
“This is something that’s going to happen in the 2030s.”
Tim said about his belief we are not alone: “I firmly believe the universe is teeming with life. Complex, intelligent life is rare.
“But even if you were mind-blowingly conservative, and said there was only one intelligent life form in every galaxy, there are a couple of hundred billion galaxies out there.
“So intelligent life is everywhere throughout the universe. The problem is the scale of the universe.”
Former British Army officer Tim completed around 3,000 orbits of the Earth during his time in the cosmos in 2016 aboard the International Space Station.
He has previously said about believing the universe is filled with other lifeforms: “When you look at Earth and how quickly life evolved simple life forms evolved on planet Earth as soon as conditions became suitable.
“I think that is probably a model for life throughout the universe.'”
His theory about travel to Mars being possible by the 2030s comes after scientists said they are on track to have us living on the planet within seven years.
Scientists in Wales have developed an energy source that could allow astronauts to live for long stretches at a base on Mars, with Professor Simon Middleburgh saying it had been “fun” creating nuclear cells at Bangor University that could sustain human life for a Moon colony.
He added about the fuel particles – which are the size of poppy seeds: “You can launch them into space, with all the forces… and they’ll still function quite safely when they’re put onto the Moon.
“I would say that we’re really pushing things globally.”