Cost of Human Mars Mission Post 2018?

[radarredux]

QUESTION: After NASA has developed Ares I, Ares V, Orion, and life support systems for the low-G, dusty Moon (as well as zero-G ISS), what would the cost of going to Mars be?<br /><br />It seems that a huge part of the bill for a Mars Mission will have already been paid for by 2018-2020. Has anyone run the numbers assuming that the boosters and many core technologies for Mars would already exist by that time?

 

[lampblack]

Ahhh... if you insist on asking that question, you're going to end up letting Mike Griffin's cat out of the bag. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[qso1]

It will depend on what type of mars mission is selected. Will it be a mars semi-direct featuring a chemical powered mothership? A Zubrin mars direct with no mother ship? A nuclear powered craft as the mothership? I doubt anyone has done any cost estimates beyond a general one. This because non of the questions have so far been answered as to what type of mission. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Lets email Zubrin.

 

[qso1]

There ya go.<br /><br />Actually, he said his plan could be done for $20 bill IIRC...so add in some inflation and contractor overuns and maybe it can be held to $50 bill. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<i>It seems that a huge part of the bill for a Mars Mission will have already been paid for by 2018-2020. Has anyone run the numbers assuming that the boosters and many core technologies for Mars would already exist by that time?</i><br /><br />That's a very interesting question and, it my knowledge, nobdy has tried answering it. But I would say that all that with all that experience and technology to hand and their aquistion and development costs written off, the costs of going to Mars going to be a lot cheaper than otherwise imagined.<br /><br />Especillay only the Mars specific hardware will have to be developed (ahtough that will still mean several major items.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>