The "Jetpack Pilot" is a "profession of the past", it's been around for 60 years. The "Jetpack Developer" is .
The "Instructor of the School Course on Jetpack Design" is a profession of the present, being developed now.
But what about the profession of the future? Templar? Archaeoprogrammer? Designer of false memories? Blade Runner?
A long-time acquaintance of mine, who participated in the crowdsourcing for the jetpack engine, has now launched . I recommended he translate specifically for Habr.
Will Your Next Job Be On Mars?
Look around you. How many of the objects and phenomena surrounding you did not exist when you were a child? Perhaps your gaze now rests on a laptop, smartphone, or Wi-Fi. Now imagine that none of this exists. What would life then become? Mentally returning to your childhood, think about whether you could have imagined living without these necessities now.
It is quite likely that a similar development awaits future employment on Mars: someday we might find it strange that we managed with work solely on Earth.
Technological progress continues to lay the foundation for more unique and exciting types of employment, still limited, for now, to the boundaries of our planet. But perhaps change is not far off.
As the late Stephen Hawking stated, "If the human race is to survive another million years, we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before."
With Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, NASA specialists, and other scientists considering the possibility of relocating to other planets as a foreseeable future, interplanetary economy and job market may already be on the horizon.
Elon Musk's SpaceX program aims to send the first astronauts to Mars by the year. The budget for 2020, approved by President Trump, includes funding planned for A year of manned flight to Mars aimed at obtaining samples from the Red Planet. Studying these samples of rock, soil, and atmosphere will provide new information about the planet's geological structure and the presence of water, and possibly evidence of life, either now or in the past.
In fact, colonies on other planets may prove to be a crucial condition for the survival of humanity. Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, , that expanding our living space in the solar system is "not a matter of choice, but a necessity."
Environmental problems, limited natural resources, rapid population growth, and the potential threat of extinction from asteroids or other natural disasters could deprive our mother Earth of the ability to remain a sanctuary for the growing human population.
Although there is no consensus on Mars being our next home, Musk believes that the only hurdle in turning the Red Planet into a workplace is, fundamentally, "the basic task of building a base."
Once this infrastructure base that Musk talks about is created, we Earthlings will be able to apply for jobs on Mars, just as we do on our planet. However, before packing your bags, you might want to learn more about something.
Why Mars?
While the planets in the solar system generally experience drastic temperature fluctuations and dangerous cosmic effects, Mars has some similarities to Earth. It is also located in the so-called Habitable Zone (), where conditions are potentially suitable for supporting life.
Although Martian air is too thin for breathing and the planet's surface is too cold for outdoor life, Mars—unlike other planets in the solar system—has its advantages: days there last 24 hours, there are 4 seasons, canyons, volcanoes, polar ice caps, riverbeds, dry lakes, and even some liquid water.
Based on our current knowledge and understanding of the Solar System, it can be asserted that Mars is the best candidate for interplanetary migration.
What types of employment will be available on Mars?
As for the initial phase of exploring the Red Planet, few tasks facing us in the Universe could compete with it in terms of the opportunities for personal self-fulfillment and the level of goals set. Thus, the degree of professional success may become a defining factor for both personal destinies and the future of humanity as a whole.
Paul Wooster, the chief engineer of the Mars project at SpaceX, explains that the initial tasks on Mars will include "many aspects similar to terrestrial construction, limited-scale mineral resource development (including geological exploration), as well as small-scale production, alongside such auxiliary activities as cooking and cleaning."
Wooster suggests that the initial demand for labor resources on Mars will largely affect jobs related to the maintenance of machinery rather than direct physical labor: "In the early stages, activities in which you do not get your hands dirty with arduous physical work are likely to be carried out directly from Earth."
As the infrastructure develops, the range of potential vacancies in sectors such as medicine, agriculture, education, and services will expand. Initially, the most in-demand will be At the same time, as interest in Mars increases and the desire to learn more about it grows, the promotion of relevant films, TV programs, and reality shows in the terrestrial market will ensure that the Red Planet attracts an ever-greater variety of talents.
Another aspect of work and an additional incentive for gifted individuals will be the opportunity to realize the most daring innovations.
The first Martian colony could generate significant income by becoming an innovative settlement. Without being distracted by earthly concerns but facing challenges that require solutions on Mars, the colony could serve as a sort of "pressure cooker" for innovations, as its inhabitants wouldn't be hindered by terrestrial bureaucracy.
- says doctor , founder of the Mars Society () and author of the new book .
If you can't wait for the official colonization of Mars to begin, you can apply to participate in NASA's Astronaut Program. However, we recommend having a backup option; in 2017, a record of applications was submitted — 18,300, while the number of available positions is only between 8 and 14.
How to apply for interplanetary work?
To anyone interested in interplanetary employment, we recommend visiting the websites of organizations like , and . Specialized sites such as and . NASA even released recruitment posters for jobs on Mars for surveyors, farmers, teachers, and mechanics.
Although most of the professions needed for work in space are currently based on Earth, companies in the space exploration sector need specialists from all fields. The aforementioned organizations and online resources demonstrate the opportunities available in engineering, design, software development, manufacturing, human resources, finance, IT, law, marketing, sales, and many other activities that exist on our planet. Whatever your professional interests are, if you also have a passion for exploring space, you will find your niche.
How will I get to my new job?
To transform Mars into a viable site for a new economy, accessible, safe, reliable, and regular transportation must be made available to the general public. A reusable rocket (like the one proposed by Musk) will be absolutely essential to create a transportation service in space akin to airlines. The first passenger potentially could accommodate up to 100 people (or more) and 450 tons of cargo.
All solutions aimed at creating mass space transport will require close cooperation and between private companies and government organizations like NASA. A robust space transport industry will also lead to the creation of more interplanetary jobs, similar to how air transport has evolved on Earth. Richard Branson's space tourism company, Virgin Galactic, has already attracted hundreds , who have invested funds in future space flights. However, it should be noted that in this new high-tech sector, even could easily handle in-flight service and snack delivery.
Will it be safe to live and work on Mars?
If attempts are made to alter Mars's natural environment to make it more habitable through terraforming (or other transformations), there are no guarantees of a favorable outcome. Increasing the planet's temperature might revive past or even existing , with unpredictable consequences. Weaker gravity could weaken our bones and muscles, and increased radiation might raise the risk of cancer. Anyway, — an extremely serious issue, and death is a very real possibility for the first settlers. Additionally, the initial isolation from a wide social circle or prolonged and abrupt changes in social conditions, lifestyle, and diet (along with sleep disturbances due to the longer daylight hours) can pose risks to mental and emotional well-being. This, in turn, may adversely affect physical health and shorten lifespan.
How will I communicate with those who remain on Earth?
Sooner or later, holoportation () will enable virtually placing people in the same room almost in real time, even if they are on different planets. This will make communication with family, friends, and colleagues on Earth seamless and natural. As image transmission technology and personal bots progress, your own physical location will no longer be that important. Bots using , will even create the feeling of physical touch from another person living on a different planet. Remote work technologies will allow you to live on Mars while working on Earth. People have already worked on Mars while being on Earth.
Will Earth holidays be available?
At first, returning to Earth for holidays will be impossible due to the costs and technical limitations of flights. However, given that the pace of technological progress every 12 to 18 months, there will come times when a return ticket to Earth becomes quite affordable. Until then, and other technologies will be able to provide virtual 'visits' that feel quite similar to real returns to Earth.
If you decide to make your trip in two stages and live for a while on the Moon first (as Bezós did), your chances of celebrating holidays on Earth become quite real.
Where will I live, eat, and shop?
A competition held under NASA's auspices simulation with dome-type houses. Their plan also includes the construction of a museum (equipped with walls made from local sand, 3D printed), where everyone hoping to settle on Mars in the future could learn more about the history of space travel.
Initially, all living, dining, and shopping spaces will be located within buildings to protect people from the unbreathable outside air and low temperatures. If the planet kindly accepts our attempts to make it habitable, future colonist communities will be able to mimic Earth life and develop a habit of grabbing a bite at McDonald's. But considering the likely cost of livestock farming on Mars or lab-produced meat, be prepared for your Big Mac to be significantly more expensive than usual. Most likely, the first things to be grown on Mars will be , — so salad will probably be quite affordable for you. As for shopping, Amazon seems to be at your disposal there as well: Bezos is already planning his on the Moon.
Can I be fired from a job on Mars?
The fact of being fired on the Red Planet will be quite exceptional until return flights become possible or until alternative job opportunities are created. Hiring decisions will have to be made extremely thoughtfully and purposefully; reserve positions must be anticipated for the productive and sensible use of those employees who cease to fulfill their professional duties, or for cases when that type of work is no longer needed. Therefore, situations of incapacity or retirement must also be taken into account.
To ensure a high standard of living for all citizens of Mars, housing security programs and care for those who can no longer take care of themselves must be in place; a unified healthcare standard and a guaranteed basic income could ensure and for all, regardless of specific personal circumstances. However, as noted earlier, the dynamics of the socio-economic situation on the Red Planet may change as the space transport industry develops.
Will I feel like I belong on Mars?
The strategy of accounting for diversity and paying close attention to the gender, ethnic, religious, and worldview characteristics of those traveling to Mars becomes of exceptional importance. The colonization of other planets will give humanity a unique opportunity to correct the mistakes of earthly history and bring humanity to a desired balance. If diversity is accounted for thoughtfully, all community members will initially feel like they belong.
Life on Mars will present a unique challenge in many respects. For instance, how will corporate or governmental funding of the colony affect the rights and freedoms of its citizens? Will hired workers be completely dependent on their companies, relying entirely on their goodwill for housing, food, medical care, and other needs?
If private funding from Earth companies remains a key factor in the development of Mars, will political decisions on this planet stem from destructive considerations of short-term profit or from long-term socially responsible policies?
How will people on Mars adapt to their new environment? Experiencing the effects of weaker gravity, negligible oxygen levels, and increased radiation, humans may very likely evolve into a new biological species over time. Astronaut grew two inches taller after just one year in orbit.
How will children born on Mars adapt to their new home? Will they develop traits biologically incompatible with life on Earth, leading to the emergence of a new Martian subspecies of humans? What will the legal basis of citizenship for native 'Martians' entail?
Will those funding migration to Mars attempt to impose a single universal passport or a pre-approval process for unauthorized interplanetary flights?
When a homogeneous Martian population gradually forms, will they welcome Earthlings?
Will an independent economy on Mars emerge, or will Earth grow financially stronger and position itself as the sole economic center of the Solar System? If Mars becomes economically independent (or nearly independent) of the import-export market, will it gain sovereignty from Earth? Will such sovereignty lead to a political struggle for power, ideological conflicts, and ultimately the scenario depicted by H. Wells in his 'War of the Worlds'?
Education and the processing of information will become key factors as people strive to colonize other planets in the Solar System and possibly beyond. Organizations like the National Space Society ()—a non-profit organization aimed at creating a space civilization and leading in this field since 1974—serve as a good resource for research, article publication, and general information on how Earthlings can utilize 'the vast resources of space for the radical enhancement of humanity.' Founded in 1998, the Mars Society ()—another useful information resource focused on the settlement of the Red Planet.
Whatever decisions are proposed towards universal interplanetary peace and unified humanitarian principles, creating jobs on Mars will be the starting point for a new, exciting, and unpredictable 'frontier' for humanity. There, on Mars, people will discover unique ways to conceptualize collaboration for our cosmos and, in doing so, may extend the history of the entire human race.
Once again, think back to your childhood and reflect on the gadget on which you are currently reading this article. Now, turn your gaze to the Cosmos. So, are you ready?
P.S.
In Stavropol, a fifteen-year-old boy who joined me after reflecting on the "Course to Mars" started asking about what exactly I do and how long I have been doing it. I began to tell him about our work in South Africa and Tanzania, Brazil and Vietnam, Armenia and Tunisia, and the endless travels across Russia. The boy's eyes widened, and at one point he exclaimed, "This is a dream job — to travel everywhere and work."
"You see," I replied, "You learned that this is possible at fifteen, while I did at thirty-five. So you have the chance to build your career from the beginning, in the way that seems most interesting to you."
The Atlas of New Professions — that's what it's really about."
— , Project Leader of "«
(PDF, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International)
Source: habr.com
