Slashdot Mirror


To Mars and Back in Ninety Days

paltemalte writes "A new means of propelling spacecraft being developed at the University of Washington could dramatically cut the time needed for astronauts to travel to and from Mars and could make humans a permanent fixture in space. In fact, with magnetized-beam plasma propulsion, or mag-beam, quick trips to distant parts of the solar system could become routine, said Robert Winglee, a UW Earth and space sciences professor who is leading the project."

12 of 812 comments (clear)

  1. Phooey by geordie_loz · · Score: 5, Funny

    I poo-poo your silly idea Philleas Fog.. It's impossible and I'll wager my reputation that you won't make it from the Gentleman's Club in London to Mars and back within 90 days!

  2. Re:New Method? by Professeur+Shadoko · · Score: 5, Funny

    You forgot the best:
    Press 'H' to jump into hyperspace.

  3. Re:Sign me up... by Jedi+Alec · · Score: 5, Funny

    for 1 moment there an image of a callcenter full of indians located on the barren sands of mars crossed my mind...

    --

    People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
  4. Why dont we by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just send a diplomat to Mars, establish a trade agreement and an alliance with them and build a road.

    Then we can quickly invade when they least expect it. When you play enough Rome Total War these things become soooo obvious.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  5. Re:Waving by Jedi+Alec · · Score: 5, Funny

    you're suggesting congress is being ran by Vulcans? Which is nowhere near as funny as actually being moderated interesting for it ;-)

    --

    People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
  6. Re:Why send people to Mars? by josh3736 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Billions of tax dollars shouldn't be blown on a project of little scientific validity just because "it's cool."

    I'm sorry sir, but you must now relinquish your Slashdot UID and turn in your geek card. Someone will escort you to the exit.

  7. Re:High Speed? by TykeClone · · Score: 5, Funny

    What about wrapping around the screen though?

    --
    A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  8. I'll tell you what Kirk would do by The+I+Shing · · Score: 5, Funny
    What Would Kirk Do?
    I'll tell you what Kirk would do... he'd let Spock & Scotty worry about getting the plasma whoosiwhatsis working while he took off to go seduce the high priestess, that's what Kirk would do.
    --
    You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
  9. You are not protected! by Quinn_Inuit · · Score: 4, Funny

    Do not trust the pusher satellite. Pushing will protect you from the terrible secret of space. Do you have stairs at your house?

    --

    Stop learning! Only you can prevent esoterrorism.
  10. This just in... by CFBMoo1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Scientists have come up with a cheap and reusable method of getting to orbit and traveling about the cosmose. Utilizing the effect of slashdotting a website, we beam those hits against a reflective matterial on the space craft that will allow network packets to propell it in to orbit and beyond. To slow down a craft ariving at it's destination, a special set of mirrors will be setup to redirect traffic to the front of the ship where another reflector will slow down the craft...

    --
    ~~ Behold the flying cow with a rail gun! ~~
  11. Re:This is fine and well, but... by 2names · · Score: 5, Funny
    Rumors are not fact.

    That's not what I heard.

    --
    "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
  12. Re:This is fine and well, but... by Cat_Byte · · Score: 4, Funny
    a spaceship that is made on the moon (or in the surrounding space).

    Oh SURE. Outsource that TOO.

    --
    Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one the bus load of girls just went down.