New Mars Forums

There needs to be much research done on many earth creatures to see how they adapt to varying degrees of gravity to learn there potental usefulness in exporting to other places. Especially livestock.

Though I'm not sure if ants are something we want to export.  :;):

Cause we didn't travel 250 million miles only to have our picnic ruined by our own ants.  :;):

Maybe in the distant future when half kilometer asteroids are hollowed out, spun for gravity, decked out with closed loop life support, and used as nomadic space colonies that make orbital "port calls" once every couple of years.

Even then, it would be much quicker to take a shuttle to and from it.

Boy, talk about a bad week for Russian launchers.

It seems to me that if it was broadcasting a signal at all someone would have picked it up by now, no matter what orbit its in.

I thought we were suppose to see pictures.

Might makes what is. Whether its right or not is up for the individual to decide.

Power is just a tool.

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05zzs.html]Griffen pondering more changes to ISS configuration?

It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

If I were running things, which of course I'm not, I'd discontinue the shuttle, and suspend ISS construction for the time being. Let the Russians have free reign over it for a while, host all the tourists they want.

I'd focus all our funding on the a reusable CEV (launched via EELV), SDV (Its the quickest choice at this point), and Lunar Transit stage (reusable, launched via SDV, stored permanently in the most appropriate parking orbit). These should be operational by 2010-2012.

Now since we still have all these ISS modules floating and sitting around, and partner countries wanting their moneys worth, we take the ISS by the grapes and make it work for us. By 2010-2012, the core modules (Zarya, Zvezda, Unity) will probably be on their last legs without Shuttle support. We build and launch a big single new core module on SDV at the most useful LEO location. And were going to make this one right, as in not designed to be babysat by anything on a regular basis. Then we use a pair Lunar transit stages, one equipped with a HAB and a Shuttle like arm, and one with just the propulsion unit, and disassemble useful pieces, primarily the Destiny Lab, whatever truss pieces, mechanical arms, and solar panels engineers think are still use full, and send them to the new core. The rest still in orbit is disassembled into safe sized pieces and sunk.

This new core will accommodate all the remaining ISS pieces to be launched via SDV, and be the cornerstone of an "ISS 2.0". This station will be designed as a test bed and launch point of VSE based missions. It will be designed from the outset to support numerous new modules, even rows of converted SDV ET's that sure as hell better not be thrown out. This acreage will be used as a growing test bed for the closed loop life support systems needed in transit and on the surface of whatever bodies we land on, and should be able to produce foodstuffs to be freeze dried and used on lunar and other missions. It will also be open to commercial interests.

Without the shuttle and immediate ISS duties gone, there’s no reason a reusable CEV, and SD HLLV can't be completely operational by 2012.

The lunar transit stage should also be ready by then, although the name is a bit deceiving. Its really intended to be a all purpose craft for a full range of missions, from long term LEO missions, to space construction platform, to propulsion for a lunar cycler and cargo delivery, manned lunar expeditions, even trips to Near Earth Asteroids and Venus Orbit. At its core is the propulsion unit, including an extremely reliable chemical rocket, and a series of power systems, and a couple solar arrays. In the front there will be support structures for HAB, ports for a CEV, Fuel, and a Lunar Access Module, and mechanical arms similar to those on the shuttle or ISS. The HAB version will be the basis for a Mars transit ship. It will require a series of them put together.

A series of these will be built and launched once the SDV is online. Their first tasks include the ISS 2.0. Once that’s done they can switch roles, ditching unneeded equipment and weight, at the ISS for later pickup.

None of that requires any new technologies, just applying it in the right way.

A Rocky planet?

So its covered in boxing rings? 

http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2005/ … ore]Sounds like the poops about to hit the fan

We still have trains to haul heavy cargo, and that will be the elevators primary purpose.

The funny thing is according to the ring leader of the break in, they were investigating a prositution ring.

If that is true, Nixon would have been considered a boy scout if he owned up to it.

Interesting.

Have  you considered hydroponics?

It would eliminate a lot of soil processing, and have higher output. The downside is it would require a bit more power and maintainance to run the pumps.