One Way to Mars
Today July 21 to July 23 is the Lunar Science Forum at NASA Ames in California. Nearly everyone in Moon research is here. Pictures coming soon.
Monday afternoon in the closing session of the Newspace conference (also at Ames) we heard from Ames Director Pete Worden. Many people in the Space biz are convinced that the way to settle Mars is to send someone one-way. Saturday I discussed the idea with former NASA engineer Jim Blaine, who has been promoting the idea. Jim thinks that his "Lone Eagle" plan would unite humanity. A human going to another planet would be one of history's great adventures.
Monday afternoon in the closing session of the Newspace conference (also at Ames) we heard from Ames Director Pete Worden. Many people in the Space biz are convinced that the way to settle Mars is to send someone one-way. Saturday I discussed the idea with former NASA engineer Jim Blaine, who has been promoting the idea. Jim thinks that his "Lone Eagle" plan would unite humanity. A human going to another planet would be one of history's great adventures.
posted by L. Riofrio at 11:57 PM
6 Comments:
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I'll go!! Ask me! I have excellent credentials in both physics and solo (mountain) exploration.
Hmmm... Considering that many qualified persons would volunteer, why not send a entire team to maximize our return?
The logistics problems must be mind boggling. For a long term stay, one would require a large oxygen supply, given that oxygen generation would initially be small scale and unreliable.
I'm guessing we could use sealed caves, rather than domes, to save on construction materials. And there is water - that's the one thing that makes this possible. The big question is about biosphere greenhouse technology, of which I am woefully ignorant.
Kea, who has advocated one-way one-person before, would be an excellent volunteer. My contacts at JSC think that water will be plentiful, which removes the biggest resource problem. With solar power we can electrolyse water to make oxygen. Bringing 2+ years initial food supply is not that big a deal.
This wouild not be a luxury trip. The initial habitat might be no bigger than an Orion spacecraft, and one person would have to live there for an indefinite period of time.
"The big question is about biosphere greenhouse technology, of which I am woefully ignorant."
Have you visited the Eden Project in Cornwall yet? They did that kind of research there. If you happen go to Cornwall to surf or fish when it gets warm, try to visit it.
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