New Mars Forums

ReeceAres

Banned

Registered: 2005-05-18

Posts: 5

Re: So where to land????

just say this. we have one mission to mars. footprints and flags. Where do we go?? I think Gusev or Mangala Valles! although it would be Awesome to see Olympus mons!!

C M Edwards

Member

From: Lake Charles LA USA

Registered: 2002-04-29

Posts: 1,012

Re: So where to land????

That's been asked a hundred times, and from thread to thread there is only one consensus:

Follow the water.  The most desirable landing site is one where the crew can mine or drill for water.

Currently, I like this site, since it is equatorial (better climate) with potential permafrost:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natu … tm]Elysium "Pack Ice"

However, I can offer much better advice than that.  Be patient, and wait for the MARSIS radar array currently in orbit to start returning data.  Ground penetrating radar will lead us right to the largest water deposits, without any guesswork.

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"We go big, or we don't go."  - GCNRevenger

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: So where to land????

That's been asked a hundred times, and from thread to thread there is only one consensus:

Follow the water.  The most desirable landing site is one where the crew can mine or drill for water.

Currently, I like this site, since it is equatorial (better climate) with potential permafrost:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natu … tm]Elysium "Pack Ice"

However, I can offer much better advice than that.  Be patient, and wait for the MARSIS radar array currently in orbit to start returning data.  Ground penetrating radar will lead us right to the largest water deposits, without any guesswork.

Unless they are thin layers, in which case you won't get any returns.

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[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

Martin_Tristar

Member

From: Earth, Region : Australia

Registered: 2004-12-07

Posts: 305

Re: So where to land????

Before you decide 'where" to land we need a realistic model of the planetary surface and climate conditions of the land and they inputed into a navigation system for the flight to mars and surface resources for sustainability.

Then we can discuss the best location to land.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: So where to land????

Completely correct in that surveys must be down before choices can be made as to where to go or where top place the fisrt manned exploration base.
Though the rovers are doing wonderfully, they fall short for what is still needed for a base selection process even after the next few probes are sent, we still will need to send plenty more. I guess that is one of the reasons why everyone says that we can look to around 2030 to 2040 before sending the first men the Mars.   way to long of a wait.

srmeaney

Member

From: 18 tiwi gdns rd, TIWI NT 0810

Registered: 2005-03-18

Posts: 976

Re: So where to land????

Completely correct in that surveys must be down before choices can be made as to where to go or where top place the fisrt manned exploration base.
Though the rovers are doing wonderfully, they fall short for what is still needed for a base selection process even after the next few probes are sent, we still will need to send plenty more. I guess that is one of the reasons why everyone says that we can look to around 2030 to 2040 before sending the first men the Mars.   way to long of a wait.

And when the survey teams of 2010-15 have followed up the survey sattelite data of 2007-9, and if Olympus Mons presents itself as ideal for an underground colony, with its proximity to the northern polar ice (which can be mined)Your children will be offered the chance to become citizens of the Commonwealth of Mars. 2030AD Is just the beginning of the  colonization timeframe. We can have in earth orbit everything a survey team of ten needs by 2010AD. Sending a thousand-ten thousand colonists a Mars window requires infrastructure that will only be acheivable on a global scale, Thus it will take till 2030AD to have it developed, mass produced, and in place.
Despite fantasies of building an equatorial city on the Martian permafrost and sending layabouts to "visit Mars", no one is coming home from Mars. Colonization for the first few hundred years will involve a oneway trip where the fully automated return vehicle has a large volume of Paladium or other super exotic valuable on board. Employment will involve twenty years of real work ending in a well earned retirement as a Citizen of Mars. Any children born on Mars can damn well expect "a term of employment" when they become adults. And just because you are a citizen doesnt mean it will remain that way. Break the law and you will be stripped of citizenship and deported (it's more ethical to deport the scum than kill them).