UK team designs human mission to Mars
1–10 of 16 posts
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#2I think we're proposing these Mars missions too soon. We need to concentrate on producing propulsion systems and shielding systems that get us there and back fast and safely first.
I'm not talking about some starship enterprise, but something a little meatier than a glorified coke can.
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#3I think we're proposing these Mars missions too soon. We need to concentrate on producing propulsion systems and shielding systems that get us there and back fast and safely first. I'm not talking about some starship enterprise, but something a little meatier than a glorified coke can.
Both of those are solved problems, and actually have been for quite a while.
You should check out the Mars Direct plan proposed by Robert Zubrin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Direct
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#4I think we're proposing these Mars missions too soon. We need to concentrate on producing propulsion systems and shielding systems that get us there and back fast and safely first. I'm not talking about some starship enterprise, but something a little meatier than a glorified coke can.
Both of those are solved problems, and actually have been for quite a while. You should check out the Mars Direct plan proposed by Robert Zubrin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Direct
Thanks and as usual, canned by Obama.
Perhaps the private sector can take this one on?
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#5That's nice, but my money is on Elon Musk :)
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#6That's nice, but my money is on Elon Musk :)
Is it just me, or is he spreading himself awfully thin these days? I mean, I don't know him personally so it's entirely possible this is all within his capability, but "Loop transport", "LEO Spaceship", Tesla and now Mars too?
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#7That's nice, but my money is on Elon Musk :)
Is it just me, or is he spreading himself awfully thin these days? I mean, I don't know him personally so it's entirely possible this is all within his capability, but "Loop transport", "LEO Spaceship", Tesla and now Mars too?
LEO spaceship and Mars are on the same development track (humans as interplanetary species / retirement on Mars is the final destination, rockets and LEO spaceship are first steps on the track). Also it's nice how he managed to make his three companies support each other by flowing tech and cash between them (e.g. Tesla using SolarCity tech for charging).
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Both of those are solved problems, and actually have been for quite a while. You should check out the Mars Direct plan proposed by Robert Zubrin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Direct
Thanks and as usual, canned by Obama. Perhaps the private sector can take this one on?
That was the constellation program, which was mainly a return to the moon. A commitment to NASA visiting Mars was kept.
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#9That's nice, but my money is on Elon Musk :)
Is it just me, or is he spreading himself awfully thin these days? I mean, I don't know him personally so it's entirely possible this is all within his capability, but "Loop transport", "LEO Spaceship", Tesla and now Mars too?
In my view the first version of the Loop (which seems to be something like electromagnetically driven 3-4 winged needle (something like StarWars X-wing starfighter without engines) in a pipe - you need to go supersonic to outrun your sound (for comfort), this is your Concord, and shock wave from the needle will be hitting the wall right in front of where the "wing" ends would be touching the wall, so one can have correctly designed wingtips doing "shock-waveriding" near the wall, instead of touching it, this is your "airhockey") is for ground transport while it will allow to develop/refine/test the next version of the Loop which will be used as the first stage accelerator for space launches
Re: UK team designs human mission to Mars
#10My view is that if we are going to have a Mars manned mission it should be one-way. Send some resources to the planet, automated mechanisms to build out some basic infrastructure (cabins, greenhouses, barricades, etc). Then once things are in place, and a self-sustaining environment can be built find some people willing to spend the rest of their lives there, perhaps older people but families wouldn't be impossible. Think of a pioneer spirit, there would be no end of people willing to put their name down for a one way trip!
The main reason I say one way? Given it is an 21 month minimum round trip or even five years, the health (mostly bone density) issues are astounding. So, let the people decide to be the first Martian colonists and let it be a one way trip. If the preparation package was sufficient I know I would like to put my name down but I suspect that my wife wouldn't, so that vetoes me, but I know I am not alone.
Perhaps it is the idea of people dying in space and the publicity from that that worries those in charge. But lets remember that these trips aren't without risk, so lets say that the risk is better managed if they just stay on Mars.