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#1 Re: Human missions » ISS Woes & To-Mars » 2004-11-08 13:29:14

Would it be possible to send the whole iss to mars, if it can be put into a geostationary orbit over earth, why not put it in a geostationary orbit over mars? Surely there is a way to propel it there and back? It could be turned into a "space shuttle carrier" with 4/5 space shuttles docked into it - they could be expendible emergency backup; as some of them are nearly ready for the scrap heap already. Send the shuttles up to dock with the station, automated without any crew, if one of them does not make it, it isn't a big loss financially or a loss of life at all. The ISS is the closest thing to a "space ship" that we have. It's storage facilities are far better than either the soyuz or the space shuttle. And once the mission is finished the astronauts could take one of the space shuttles docked onto the space station to get back to earth. Then it may be able to go back to its old job.

The only newly-made specialised craft(s) which would be required to be built would be the ones used to get the astronauts to mars from the ISS and back to the ISS. ( a moon-rover type buggy would also be useful for exploring the planet itself)

ps:would folding up the solar panels be required to send the ISS going towards mars at about 45000kph, I remember seeing animations of probes supposedly going at 45000kph with their solar panels folded out.

what speed is the ISS currently moving through space while orbiting over the earth and what effect do particles of matter in space have on the outside of the craft?

Sounds like a way to get to mars on the cheap to me.


Is this whole idea "nuts" or could it be classed as "theoretically possible" by rocket scientists/engineers.

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