New Mars Forums

Dook

Banned

From: USA

Registered: 2004-01-09

Posts: 1,409

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Mars eventually, but I think we should create a moon base first.

I'll go now and live in a dome, cave, or mars habitat for the rest of my life.

Sign me up but I'll wait until mars at least has an atmosphere of CO2.

Not until mars has a breathable atmosphere.

I'm not leaving the earth.

Remember, if you go to mars it's probably forever.  No coming back.

comstar03

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2004-07-19

Posts: 329

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Sorry dook, but your dead body won't be carried to mars !!!, it will take approimately 50-75 years from now to commence major terraforming processes on Mars. and it would then take decades after that to become livable for humans.

The dome developments must be designed like towns here, but can be collapsed when the atomsphere is breathable for humans.

Dook

Banned

From: USA

Registered: 2004-01-09

Posts: 1,409

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

I agree with the 50-75 years timeframe.  We need to land a few times first, then explore the planet and find out if there ever was or is life there.  Then we can start the terraformation process with better technology than we now have.  But some Mars Society members seem to want to live there and begin terraforming from the first landing.

deagleninja

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2004-04-28

Posts: 376

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

The terraforming process would technically begin with the first outpost there. Since heat is what Mars needs most to be changed, our first residents on Mars will begin altering it by producing waste heat.

comstar03

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2004-07-19

Posts: 329

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Major issues, firstly, I don't think many of the society members will get to mars or their decendants for many years. ( at least a century ), Unless they are megarich and can afford the ticket.

Ian Flint

Banned

From: Colorado

Registered: 2003-09-24

Posts: 437

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

I'd go live in a pressurized habitat for the rest of my life, but I would push for a thicker CO2 atmosphere so I could at least take off my pressure suit outside.  I think it's possible to create a CO2 atmosphere of 250 mbar within 50 years or so.

I won't even hope for a breathable atmosphere in my lifetime.

comstar,
Issues shmissues!  To get around this problem of money, you can assume that you won the Mars Ticket Lottery.

Grypd

Member

From: Scotland, Europe

Registered: 2004-06-07

Posts: 1,879

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

The first thing I would do is send an orbiting mirror this would begin to reflect more light onto Mars, But until we really decide we want to go full tilt for terraforming what it would do is provide more light for power use at the main Mars base.

But yes go for Mars as soon as we can then we change it to what we want, But there is no reason not to go for colonisation as soon as we have resources to do so.

---

Chan eil mi aig a bheil ùidh ann an gleidheadh an status quo; Tha mi airson cur às e.

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Whenever someone was smart or nice enough to build the afforadble transportation to get me there.

---

Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

You don't really need a full pressure suit for Mars, a tension suit thats heated would do, you just need the pressure around the head in your helmet.

---

[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]

Rxke

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2003-11-03

Posts: 3,669

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Mars. a.k.a. Spandex-world!

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

There's a topic about suits on the boars, in which RobertDyck posted some very interesting stuff about the elastic suits.

Rxke

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2003-11-03

Posts: 3,669

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Oh, I didn't answer the question.
"I'll go now and live in a dome, cave, or mars habitat for the rest of my life."

I personally do not really like the boosted virtually pure CO2 atmosphere thing... That's short-time thinking, IMO...
It'll probably be very hard to go to oxy-nitrogen mix later... Rather find a way to release O2 instead of forcing CO2 outgassing. Depend on super greenhouse gasses for warming, instead of CO2
Harder, and will take longer(?) but the more oxy, the more possibility for a biosphere, the more heat etc...

comstar03

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2004-07-19

Posts: 329

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Its interesting about the suits, but the Question is "When" you go to Mars ?

Cargo movements - 2019-2022 prior to launch.

First Manned mission - 2022 on current planning ( launch time ) - with telerobotic comman station built within.

Second Manned mission - 2023 ( launch time might take longer duration ? )

Cargo movements - 2023-2025 - Three ships be run with supplies. - micro-foundry and fabrication equipment.

Mass movement mission - 2025-2030

This will only take the small outpost to a large outpost before becoming a marsbase. ( Outpost --> Marsbase ---> Mars Settlement )

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,960

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

Interesting time table for going forth to Mars but way to slow IMO. But on the note of how fast this also depends on if we are going to stay or do the Apollo ya its nice and leave again plan.

From MarsNews http://www.marsnews.com/

Phase 1 The Mars Homestead Project - To Arrive, Survive & Thrive!

Utilizing concepts and designs from the past several decades, the Mars Homestead Project seeks to develop a unified plan for building the first habitat on Mars utilizing local materials. The ultimate goal of the project is to build a growing, permanent settlement beyond the Earth, thus allowing civilization to spread beyond the limits of our small planet.

Planning efforts of the Project are well underway after last month's Kickoff meeting at MIT. The project is now shifting into high gear in what is being calling "Phase 1", where initial planning documents will be generated by the multidisciplinary Program Study Team.

Note: MarsNews.com Editor James Burk is on the leadership team and built the Project's website.

http://www.marshome.org/

comstar03

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2004-07-19

Posts: 329

Re: When Would You go to Mars?

What SpaceNut,

they are working on a similar timeline !!!!!