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Launch Manifest For NASA's "Road To Mars" Takes Shape But Questions Remain
MarkWhittington writes: NASASpaceFlight.com reported that NASA's so-called "Road to Mars" is starting to take shape. The deep space program that would conclude with human astronauts departing for the Red Planet in 2039 would require just over 40 launches of the heavy-lift Space Launch System, including an uncrewed flight in 2018 and one flight a year to cis-lunar space starting in 2021 lasting until 2027. A flight in 2028 would launch something called the Pathfinder Entry Descent Landing Craft to Mars as a precursor for a human landing. Then the Mars program begins in earnest with a mission to Phobos in 2033 and missions to the Martian surface in 2039 and 2043.
Just make sure they don't stampede.
You ever see cattle stampede when they got no place to run? Itâ(TM)s kinda like a meat grinder. [/obscure quote]
Something doesn't add up here - afaik the outer-space radiation problem hasn't been solved yet. The Apollo moon landings were all short-duration flights, and the MIR and ISS operations take place inside the somewhat protective Van-Allen belts. What is going to protect the astronauts on the long-duration flights to Mars and back again from solar bursts and other deep-space radiation hazards?
Am I missing something here?
Where is the manifest? Both of these articles talk about it, but don't actually include it.
It looks like this manifest being referred to is behind a login prompt.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
one flight a year to cis-lunar space
No flights to trans-lunar space?
SOMEONE ALERT TUMBLR!
I won't live that long. Oh, well nothing to see here.
WTF? How the responsible hopes that the Congress will approve a mission spending so many launches for sending a single crew? And expecting to use a rocket that not even exist yet?
Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
There are radiation protection and food logistic issues that remain, however, the biggest problem is mental. Being couped up for 3 years on a small capsule is not doable given human dynamics for the need of private space and the needs to both roam and to be alone at times. The idea of suspended animation is one that needs to be resurrected from the pages of SciFi- it saves resources, reduces human psychology issues and it preserves the body from developing in flight medical issues.
All this time, money and effort would be better spent designing and building an actual space ship that could leave orbit, come back, be resupplied, go somewhere else, etc. A phalanx of ion drives, the EM drive (if it's real), etc. powered by a multi megawatt reactor, a rotating crew module for artificial gravity, long cycle life support systems, magnetic shielding, etc. The Real Deal.
Then you could go to Mars, asteroid belt when you want and come back when you want.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
If they really wanted to get to Mars, they would use an architecture like Mars Direct which could be done in 10 or so years, using today's technologies, without even expanding NASA's budget.
Instead, this is really built to show as many SLS launches as possible (read: most inefficient architecture imaginable) to make it appear as though the insanely expensive rocket to nowhere has a nice full launch manifest.
Which is why the Apollo launches scooted along the edges of the Van Allen belts, which the Mars mission can do as well.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.
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Its in fact a very modest program that has only maybe a 30% chance of success as conceived, I'd say (assuming its carried through as planned, I'm talking about mission/technical risk, not political risk). Probably 70% chance of issues leading to massive cost increases to deal with unknown hazards/issues/requirements. Then even if you launch something on this agenda, there's a pretty good chance it isn't going to get where you sent it with a functioning crew, lander, etc. 2039 is only 24 years, BARELY enough time to iterate enough deep space manned missions (all those trips to 'cis-lunar space') to sort out the deep space mission issues. I think if they spent 5x more, then 24 years would probably be pretty adequate, but...
And the end result is going to be what? A few weeks on the surface of Mars? Stuck in one small area of the planet? What's the total program cost? Divide that by the cost of Curiosity, and see what it buys you.
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem." -- Jefferson
2039?
That's like 12 congressional election cycles from now. Might as well be fornever.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
This'll be exciting for someone.
These scientist are the really great to hear that they are going to start next launches will be at 2018. They are just looking into the Mars planet roadway. We really proud to be human.
To be frank, Mars is pointless right now. When we get to the point where we have a few orbiting colonies with sustainable closed ecologies (which we can't even do on Earth now), we can push two off to Mars to arrive at leisure. One can go down as living quarters and the other can stay in orbit to provide space based power plant maintenance and emergency transportation.
Instead, of course, we'll just throw some bodies at Mars so we can grab our collective genitalia while grunting "First!"
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I wonder if NASA has actually thought of what kind of drugs they might need to give astronauts to keep them from going bonkers.
Some kind of low-grade hypnotic that wouldn't too badly hamper cognitive ability but allow astronauts to go into a kind of hypnotic trance for hours at a time.
Going to eat the off-topic mod, but...
Dude, what is your fucking problem? Did the GP piss in your OJ or something? Did you write some kind of script to auto-reply to anything he posts with your inane bullshit, or do you actually waste your time manually replying?
It's time for you to grow up and move on. Nobody cares what your beef is. Nobody is interested in the slightest.
Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
https://www.google.com/maps/di...
Here's a link that describes the solar system's roads:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
We are never going to get to Mars so long as NASA is projecting on these time scales. There is no accountability to the current staff as the timespan is longer then their tenures. This is just a means to keep their paychecks funded and to show they are following the president's directives. We have the technology to launch in just a few years, but no one wants to take the actual risk, nor provide for a real amount of funding.
My vote is for Elon Musk at this point.
I'm a space fan but there is no economic or military payoff for going to Mars and the science part can be handled by robots.
Surely Pathfinder is the mars rover mission that has already gone, not any mission slated for 2028. This article looks like nonsense.
If a Firefly quote is considered "obscure" on Slashdot, then it's definitely time to leave for brighter pastures...
... in order to be a witness to this.
*stashes plans for early exit*
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I NEVER post AC. It just appears some people think I need help handling you as you are to your trolling stage.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
"Then the Mars program begins in earnest with a mission to Phobos in 2033 and missions to the Martian surface in 2039 and 2043." Then the monkey flies out of the unicorn's ass...
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AS opposed to what? Having an article written about in a science journal about another planet that no one cares about, just to dick measure? Let's face it, there's not much in space exploration at this moment that is anything more than pure entertainment, machine or non-machine. Getting an exact date on the end of the universe isn't going to change anything, and in any case, even if the universe did end, there's not a damn thing we can do about it anyway. So in essence, you argument of sending machines to gather content for your entertainment is no more valid than someone who wants people on the red planet. But, if we keep sending people out there, we will figure out a way to do it less expensively, and there's plenty of people that would go, simply because the earth is too big of a pain in the rear for them.
This is my sig.
I'm sure there's details that would change in reality of course, but I don't see where this is wrong at any basic conceptual level. I think we should built some NTR/NER 'tug' vehicles that can move heavy stuff around autonomously and move materials where we need/want them. Maybe starting on the Lunar surface makes more sense, I'm not entirely sure what order is most efficient, but the elements all seem right at least. NASA's LAT and Lunar mission planning is pretty advanced. We could DEFINITELY be at the south pole of the Moon in 5 years without even breaking a sweat, and have a manned base up and running by year 10.
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem." -- Jefferson