Pasha Bitz

Extreme Sports of The Future

Posted on Jan 8, 2010

Looking at the genius xkcd comic Gravity Wells got me thinking about the extreme sports of the future.
Mars’ moon Deimos’ escape velocity is only about 20 km/h (12mph) and can be escaped using a bicycle and a ramp.
Mars’ other moon Phobos has a slightly stronger gravitational pull with an escape velocity of about 40 km/h (25mph).
We have pretty much exhausted the possibilities of extreme sports that can be done here on earth (a.k.a. “stupid shit”) so what is the only possible evolution for the X Games of 2030? That’s right: outer space.
Here are my suggestions:

  1. Low gravity bike/roller blade/skateboard jumps on Deimos.

  2. Synchronized space floating (like synchronized swimming but with a bunch of people with oxygen masks jump out of spaceship orbiting Phobos).

  3. Space diving. Like sky diving but from outer space. This can be done on earth.

  4. Low gravity pole vaulting. Someone like Sergey Bubka can possible clear a bar that is miles-high on Deimos.

  5. Motorcycle jumping over craters on Phobos.

I am really looking forward to it all.