You are not logged in.
Pages: 1
I've previously written sceptically about Musk's plan for a million migrants to Mars - ain't gonna happen is my view, certainly not as quickly and dramatically as he proposes.
Having thought about the issue some more I think a better way forward would be to create on Earth a University for Mars .
The purpose of this University would be specifically to prepare young people for living on Mars, train them in the necessary skills and educate them to a graduate or post grad level in relevant disciplines.
Ideally it would take people between the ages of 18 and 25.
Maybe it would offer a three year course. Two years on Earth, and one year on Mars. There could be various modules in: relevant disciplines such as electric engineering, engineering, photovoltaics and space medicine; Mars studies (Mars geology, terraformation); and practical skills training (farming, transportation, transportation, life support systems maintenance).
The final year on Mars could include a 3 month exploratino field study to some remote part of Mars.
The course would be free and after successful graduation the student would be guaranteed employment on Mars for up to 3 years and thereafter could apply for a permanent post.
The advantages of this approach would be: that people would experience Mars before they started a family; that the young people would be likely to form relationships with other people on the course and so would likely have partners also interested in settling on Mars; and that they would have a skills set that was relevant to Mars development.
Funding for the University could come from philanthropists, Space X and a Mars settlement administration. With a student body of 3000, you would have an annual supply of 1000 people ready to work on Mars. It might cost something like $2 billion pa to fund.
If half the students settle permanently on Mars, that would give you a population increase of 500 per annum, or 5000 per decade.
Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com
Offline
An Astronaut training program, currently we are taking about a year with the Russians for the ISS as we need to learn the language to be successful. Some of the training is physical conditioning while some is training on the ships controls and operations.
Offline
Not so much an astronaut training programme but a Mars pioneer training programme for sure. They wouldn't have to fly the Starship to Mars but they would need training in onboard procedures and what to expect.
An Astronaut training program, currently we are taking about a year with the Russians for the ISS as we need to learn the language to be successful. Some of the training is physical conditioning while some is training on the ships controls and operations.
Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com
Offline
Pages: 1