New Mars Forums

I am reminded of where this needed to be going from an article that was writen by Jeff Foust titled Moon, Mars, baseball, and football.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/181/1

In that it was a very good analogy of what needs to be done to achieve both goals of going to the moon but to stay and of how to do the Mars direct or other configurations of any planned missions to Mars.

For the Moon do lots of small but successful steps very often for the moon.

As you noted, it should not just be scientist that get to go and to settle if you want the public even if it is a minority to get behind these billion to trillion dollar explorations ventures. You must portray the people that are doing this to the people that are left behind as common people and not the chosen few with the right stuff.

If anything becomes of the xprize I hope it maybe a scare to the Big guys on the rocketry block and Nasa. For if any achieves orbital status, look out for private industry may soon to follow.

Boeing delays first launch of Delta 4 Heavy rocket
http://www.floridatoday.com/news/space/ … delta4.htm

May if we wait long enough India can help with one of the vehicles used as a derivative.
India designs next generation launch vehicle GSLV-MkIII, a heavier lift launcher that would meet the four tonne class communication satellite requirements, the new generation vehicle which would be developed by ISRO by 2007-2008.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_962531,0008.htm

Well if you were looking for the Boeing first launch of Delta 4 Heavy rocket to be the next in possible shuttle replacements, it has been delayed.
http://www.floridatoday.com/news/space/ … delta4.htm

I do not see that any problem other than Earth has a lot more atmospheric drag that a planet like venus does not.

In Many of the discusions of topics we come back to what did the president mean by first the Moon and then beyound. To use the moon as a stepping stone to space.

To sustain a Moon project does this mean a base, colonization and or can it be one shot after the other with nothing permanent ever built.

We can keep looking a startup cost as well as the long term cost but are they really what is important to exploration.

If we go to the moon should we be looking to develope self sufficiency and less dependence on Earths resources.

Should the moon be the next Launching pad to beyound?

The questions keep coming or going and even Nasa is looking for information as to what is meant in the commissions report.

We talk a lot about what Nasa could be doing and then we find out that Nasa is doing a lot of unrelated Space activities.

NASA sets stage for personal aircraft
Flying-car dreams could spawn new type of vehicle

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5750922/

Nasa definitely needs to be stream lined for space activites only.

It is rocket science
Resident helps NASA solve space travel troubles
 
http://www.zwire.com/site....1&rfi=9

The SCSU students are participating in research to help NASA minimize the negative effects of prolonged weightlessness on human bones.
NASA's land-based and space studies already show that bone loss varies greatly from astronaut to astronaut. Some experience little-to-no loss, while others experience significant bone loss

Going to the moon to practice yes is very different as compared to Mars at least it has an atmosphere.

Soil type on the moon versus Mars are not even of simular mineral oxides. I do not see much research on the moon leading to any developed items for Mars.

The moon has its own unique research reasons for going back to it. One is simply to finish where we left off in our search for knowledge on planet formation.

As for on the billing side of the budget unless Nasa learns how to lower the cost of doing space they stand to lose a lot more than there budgets.

Actually we have lived off the land for centuries but those were of liveable condition. We have lost much of what is instictive survival skills to be redeveloped again for the Moon or for the Mars current environments. That is partly why the analogous site for the Mars society are in the romote regions of Earth. Taking advantage of the near Mars climates, soils, lack of water trying to simulate hostile atmospheric conditions by forcibly using space suits, sealed habitats and near rover transportation style vehicles

Most design work and workers usually do not care about cost of parts or of labor to make items. There usual goal is to just make it work and that it is someone elses problem for cost. The only way to change that mind set is to reduce the available design funds. Forcing the designers to finally give a care.