KOCHI: Space is a truly mesmerising place, says Steve Smith, on the sidelines of the GenAI Conclave. And blasting out into the vast unknown was a mission this American engineer dreamt of from childhood, a dream he fulfilled by overcoming many hurdles. A former astronaut who made four trips to the International Space Station (ISS), Steve says we are living in the Space 2.0 era when missions have become more technologically advanced. “The Indian space programme has grown by leaps and bounds, achieving milestones that even developed countries can only dream of,” he notes.
“Generative AI (GenAI) is a complicated subject. People who love technology are so lucky to be living in this age of computing since advancements made in AI are incredible. It is the fastest-growing technology, even faster than the internet,” says Steve. He says it’s possible that humans are an interplanetary species.
“Only because we have been taught to think way into the future. Maybe a million years ahead. However, in the immediate future, like 100 to 200 years, I don’t think we will see a large group of people living on another planet. Some people think that we need to send millions of people to another planet since Earth won’t be habitable. However, that is not the answer. All we need to do is take better care of Earth.”
“It takes three days to get to the Moon. But it takes a lot longer to get to Mars. Sometimes Mars is very far away. The shortest distance it is from Earth is 30 million miles every 26 months. So it would take nine months in each direction to Mars and back. But that might not happen now. Maybe someday with faster propulsion and faster systems,” Steve Smith adds.