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The 2024 Olympics recently started in Paris, but at Team Tumbleweed, we’re looking further into the future – one where the Olympics might be an interplanetary event. We asked our Head of Science James Kingsnorth what the Olympics might look like on Mars.
James Kingsnorth: That’s a tricky one, lighting the Olympic torch on Mars. For a fire to burn, three essential ingredients are necessary: heat, fuel, and an oxidizing agent. On Earth, our atmosphere contains relatively large amounts of oxygen, enough for fire to burn. In the Martian atmosphere, however, the percentage of oxygen is just too low. So the entrance ceremony might need a different spectacle.
First of all, there is the composition of the atmosphere: Mars’ atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide and not a lot of oxygen. The air on Mars is also much thinner than on Earth. To be able to breathe in, the air pressure in your lungs must be lower than outside your lungs – which would be near impossible to achieve in such a low-pressure environment! So you would definitely need a spacesuit with suitable air supply to breathe normally. It might also be a bit cold: The average temperature is quite frosty at -55°C. Then there is the gravity: It’s only about a third of that on Earth. So we would really just be bouncing around, floating – it would be a completely different experience on Mars.
Good To Know: The Martian Atmosphere
Mars’ atmosphere is composed of approximately 95% carbon dioxide (CO2), less than 3% nitrogen and 2% argon. Other elements and molecules, such as oxygen or carbon monoxide, are present in trace amounts. In comparison, Earth’s atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with other gases making up the remaining percent. The atmosphere on Mars is much thinner, with an atmospheric pressure less than one hundredth of Earth’s.
The lower gravity plays a significant role here. For a recent study, participants had to run in a simulated Mars environment, using special treadmills that make it feel like the gravity is reduced. The researchers found that in this decreased gravity, the effects on running include longer flight duration, so more time spent in the air between each step, and shorter contact with the ground. This means that there is a lower stride frequency, or less steps taken in a certain amount of time. This would make running on Mars look almost like slow motion, and a running pattern that looks more like skipping than running. They would also be facing less air resistance than runners on Earth. We are of course not taking into account the long-term effects of reduced gravity here, though – and that the runners might be impeded by massive spacesuits.
I think you could go really high. With some simplifications, we can say that you can jump almost three times higher on Mars. The current record is 2.45 meters for high jump on Earth, so let’s say Martian Olympians could get to around 6 meters. I think people can push it with the appropriate training for the changed gravitational and atmospheric conditions, and if we have favorable terrain. We could do it even at the top of Mons Olympus, one of the tallest mountains in the solar system. Up there, we would have even less gravity.
It would be cool to try out new sports, unique to the Martian Olympics. Considering that by the time we are doing the Olympics on Mars, our Tumbleweed rovers will likely have visited many places on the planet, we should definitely involve those in a competition. I think any sport that has a ball in it would work, so perhaps Tumbleweed-basketball or volleyball, if we scale things up a bit.
Out of the existing Olympic sports, it would have to be beach volleyball. Similar to the high jump, when you throw a ball straight up, it’s again going to fly almost three times higher. Then, when you jump for it, you get so much more height and can properly dunk it down – I feel like that would be a really fun sport to play. And the Martian dunes could make a nice sandy backdrop.
The Martian terrain is very rough, so we would definitely need to level it all out for some sports, like football or hockey. Otherwise, you might have boulders sticking out, as well as many craters and dune fields. This could add an extra challenge to many sports. The landscapes on Mars vary strongly in different regions. There are some flat plains in the northern parts, which I think would be most suitable for the Olympics. With a few adjustments, I think it would make a great setting for the Olympics – perhaps already in 2048?
Good to Know: The Martian Surface
The northern part of Mars consists of smoother lowlands. Further south, the terrain becomes more mountainous. The Tharsis region, for example, is an elevated area of potential volcanic origin. At the edge of the plateau lies Olympus Mons, one of the highest mountains in the solar system. There are also vast canyon systems, such as Valles Marineris. Valles Marineris spreads far across the Martian surface, spanning a distance wider than the United States. Past Martian missions have landed at a select few spots on the planet, especially at areas with evidence of past water activity, since water is a prerequisite for life. The Tumbleweed rovers are a different breed of rover that can explore previously inaccessible terrain, from the northern polar region to the volcanic Hesperia Planum. Operating as a swarm, they help cover a larger area of the planet’s surface.
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