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The Documentary: Back down to Earth

Spaceman above the Earth

05/12/2020 GMT

Back down to Earth

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Back down to Earth

Is it time to abandon dreams of human space travel?

Since November 2000 there have always been humans living in space on the International Space Station (ISS). But when was the last time we stopped to ask why we’re so eager to leave the Earth?
Although the ISS is a remarkable engineering achievement, human space exploration has proven dangerous and costly. There is no air, gravity or food, and water has to be recycled from sweat, stale breath and urine. As we return to the Moon and aim for Mars, some argue that space colonisation is also immoral, psychologically and socially damaging and unnecessarily expensive.

Beatriz De La Pava talks to astronauts, anthropologists, scientists, doctors and philosophers to investigate if it’s time to abandon the dream of human space travel and come back down to Earth. Featuring a near-mutiny in space, genetically modified astronauts, sentient robots and the challenges of haircuts on Mars, Beatriz questions whether we are cut-out for life beyond our beautiful home world.

(Photo: An astronaut hovers above the Earth. Credit: Nasa)

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