Matt Damon stars in the upcoming movie "The Martian." (Photo : Reuters)
As the world waits for the release of the science fiction movie "The Martian," the National Aeronautics and Space Administration revealed what really happens every time the red planet experiences an intense dust storm.
Scientific reports claim that Mars experiences dust storms on its surface almost on a daily basis. These dust storms can sometimes be seen from Earth through telescopes.
However, the red planet sometimes experiences massive dust storms which are larger and more intense. These massive storms is the subject of the upcoming Hollywood movie "The Martian." The movie shows that these dust storms can bring massive damage which can leave astronauts stranded on Mars.
Experts on the matter claim that these storms have enough wind power to tear an astronaut's camp, as depicted in the movie. On the other hand, it is not strong enough to destroy necessary equipment needed for an astronaut to survive.
NASA posted an explanation on its official blog stating, "Even the wind in the largest dust storms likely could not or rip apart major mechanical equipment. The wind in the strongest Martian storms top out at about 60 miles per hour, less than half the speed of some hurricane-force winds on Earth."
Experts on the subject cited atmospheric pressure as one of the key factor why an Earth-like hurricane will not exist on Mars, according to ABC News.
The potential danger to astronauts by Mars' dust storms was brought into the mainstream consciousness by the movie "The Martian." The movie stars Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott.
