2030 Mars Mission

[Deepwater6]

http://www.space.com/20999-nasa-manned-mars-missions.html

 

First of all, watching the video I'm stunned (although I shouldn't be) That no one has any idea how long it would take to get to our Red neighbor.

 

It will be a long road and filled with obstacles. Some of these obstacles we can solve with technology in time. There are also those that likely will not change by 2030. The politics and the possibility of giving NASA a different direction every 4yrs. There is also the radiation and muscle loss to consider. All of these issues can be chipped away at, but not solved by 2030.

 

Lets talk propulsion for the trip. According to a recent article in a SA mag, I found out the following. Of all the space craft we have launched one of the fastest is the New Horizon probe. That's from a hellocentric (sun-relative) perspective. With the an assist from the velocity component of Earths orbital motion and its own propulsion put the craft at 100,000mph.

 

Hellos I and Hellos II launched in 74 and 76 respectively. Since they traveled closer to the Sun than Mercury. These crafts managed 150,000mph. It's not always easy to quantify launch velocities from cruise velocities according to the article.

 

NASA will have its Juno probe heading into the Jovian system by 2016. Falling into its gravity well the craft will accelerate to 160.000mph.

 

Now getting a probe to a planet and getting a lander, a habitat, and a way home are two different things. I understand that, however a focus on speed technology, I believe would be in the best interest of the mission. If for nothing else the mental aspect of the crew.

[Lancewen]

http://www.space.com...s-missions.html

 

First of all, watching the video I'm stunned (although I shouldn't be) That no one has any idea how long it would take to get to our Red neighbor.

 

It will be a long road and filled with obstacles. Some of these obstacles we can solve with technology in time. There are also those that likely will not change by 2030. The politics and the possibility of giving NASA a different direction every 4yrs. There is also the radiation and muscle loss to consider. All of these issues can be chipped away at, but not solved by 2030.

 

Lets talk propulsion for the trip. According to a recent article in a SA mag, I found out the following. Of all the space craft we have launched one of the fastest is the New Horizon probe. That's from a hellocentric (sun-relative) perspective. With the an assist from the velocity component of Earths orbital motion and its own propulsion put the craft at 100,000mph.

 

Hellos I and Hellos II launched in 74 and 76 respectively. Since they traveled closer to the Sun than Mercury. These crafts managed 150,000mph. It's not always easy to quantify launch velocities from cruise velocities according to the article.

 

NASA will have its Juno probe heading into the Jovian system by 2016. Falling into its gravity well the craft will accelerate to 160.000mph.

 

Now getting a probe to a planet and getting a lander, a habitat, and a way home are two different things. I understand that, however a focus on speed technology, I believe would be in the best interest of the mission. If for nothing else the mental aspect of the crew.

 

The following article claims 78,000 people have signed up for a one way trip to Mars. Are they all crazy or what? That would be a death trip would it not?

 

http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/07/mars-one-applicants/

[Eclogite]

The following article claims 78,000 people have signed up for a one way trip to Mars. Are they all crazy or what? That would be a death trip would it not?

We are all on a journey towards death. Finding death on Mars would, at least, be original and almost certainly intersting, if not downright exciting.

 

Also, let's suppose I decide to sign up today. I know the odds are absolutely stacked against me going (so I am am quite safe), but what a chat up line I now have!

[Moontanman]

Yeah... Hey baby, I am going on a one way trip to Mars, how about you come home with me and make my last night on Earth something to remember... Or " how would you like to sleep with a Martian?"

[Lancewen]

We are all on a journey towards death. Finding death on Mars would, at least, be original and almost certainly intersting, if not downright exciting.

 

Also, let's suppose I decide to sign up today. I know the odds are absolutely stacked against me going (so I am am quite safe), but what a chat up line I now have!

 

So what you are suggesting is if this one way trip could be a reality next year, that this list might be a lot shorter?

[cal]

The following article claims 78,000 people have signed up for a one way trip to Mars. Are they all crazy or what? That would be a death trip would it not?

 

http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/07/mars-one-applicants/

Yea some norweigan private company is doing the same thing, before NASA announced it btw, and they're starting in like 2018, not 2030. It is a one way trip, the applicants of the private company are being tested for mental stability and put into isolation experiments. This private company is also sending an additional four people every two years, and they plan on starting the terraformation of the planet.

 

It is a one way trip for the first few generations of people that go there. After fifty years I'd like to think they'd have some sort of sustainable local environment and possibly a way to start mining as well. By the time they have some basic infrastructure up, they will probably have developed better rockets too, meaning there could be a possibility for them to return. I know it kind of tarnishes the idea of space travel by throwing the resource harvesting into it, but that's essentially why we're doing it in the first place, and it would lessen the motive to go to war and steal resources from countries on Earth.

 

Personally, I think colonizing Mars will expose the subterranean super-organisms that affect US politics by psychically manipulating the gravitational field of Earth's core, bringing the corruption to an end once and for all, but that's just me.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Snax

[Eclogite]

So what you are suggesting is if this one way trip could be a reality next year, that this list might be a lot shorter?

Almost that. Once it came down to a realistic chance that you might be selected then, yes, I think there would be a drop off in those really prepared to not only take the risk, but commit themsleves to a life that was wholly different from what they knew.

 

In that regard prisoners incarcerated for life might be genuinely interested. That would create some interesting results when their colony became established. (Hint: the universe would fill with Australians.)

[Lancewen]

Buzz Aldrin talks about the one way trip to Mars with Popular Science. For those of you that are interested in what he has to say about it.

 

http://www.popsci.com/node/73418/?cmpid=enews050913&spPodID=020&spMailingID=5465111&spUserID=Mzc4MjM2OTY5NjIS1&spJobID=319060266&spReportId=MzE5MDYwMjY2S0

[Deepwater6]

http://www.universetoday.com/102435/mars-society-proposes-a-year-long-arctic-mission-to-better-prepare-for-the-red-planet/

 

If these one-way trips become a reality wouldn't simulated gravity have to be a necessity for the travelers? Arriving on Mars and facing intense obstacles would be compounded with muscle loss. I don't know if we would have that technology by the 2018 date mentioned in the above posts. The issue is mentioned in the comments section of the article as well.

 

Concerning the article itself, the more of these simulations the better, before we go. If for no other reason than gathering as much information as possible about the mental effects of the isolation on the crew. :wacko:

Edited May 27, 2013 by Deepwater6

[Lancewen]

http://www.universet...the-red-planet/

 

If these one-way trips become a reality wouldn't simulated gravity have to be a necessity for the travelers? Arriving on Mars and facing intense obstacles would compounded with muscle loss. I don't know if we would have that technology by the 2018 date mentioned in the above posts. The issue is mentioned in the comments section of the article as well.

 

Concerning the article itself, the more of these simulations the better, before we go. If for no other reason than gathering as much information as possible about the mental effects of the isolation on the crew. :wacko:

 

That's true, and for long trips they need to consider the sex lives of the astronauts. That doesn't get talked about very much, but a good sex life on a long trip would be a real help in the long term mental health of the astronauts. I can see lots of problems in this area with married astronauts that aren't both going.