Landing on Mars in 2016 part 1

[jhoblik]

We could land on Mars in ten years even with NASA budget restriction.<br />-Phase 1/ 2010 - unmanned space station to the orbit of Mars<br />-Phase 2/ 2012 - unmanned MarsHab on the surface of Mars <br />-Phase 3/ 2014 - manned mission to orbit of Mars <br />-Phase 4/ 2016 – manned mission to Mars surface <br /><br />The reason that NASA is not ready to fly to Mars are basically two:<br />- hardware development will cost to much<br />- deliver of hardware and supply is also very expensive<br />I would like to address these two obstacles and as additional I would like to bring couple ideas that will drastically improve chance of successfully mission. At the end I would like to present how this architecture is able to handle most of emergency situation that could happen during this adventure.<br /><br />- Development of hardware for Mars mission<br />- Use available hardware or hardware to be available and purchase modification for Mars mission(Bigelow Nautilus as Transhab and Marshab, Genesis as crew ship and Mars rover)<br />- Let company like T-Space to develop CXV to deliver astronaut to Earth orbit. <br />- Not to be involve in development of new more capable boosters but support companies like Spacex, that is ready to develop booster with capability 100 tons to LEO.<br />- Don’t repeat mistake with Space Shuttle, it is not NASA business to develop boosters. <br />- Concentrate development effort to:<br />o DS4G- Dual-Stage 4-Grid (DS4G) Ion Thruster unit, 1.4MW ion egine <br />o MAB(mars ascent booster)… <br />o MLV(mars lander vehicle), platform that will be able to deliver 30 ton cargo from orbit to surface of Mars<br />o MR(mars rover) modify mobile version of Bigelow Genesis<br /><br />- Choose efficient strategy to pick and deliver hardware and supply to Mars vicinity. Mars orbit will be build as staging area for excursion to Mars surface. <br />- Every precursor of manned missions will not only test hardware but also deliver hardware and supplies to Mars orbit a

 

[jhoblik]

Transahab(TH)<br />LOX-LH2 propulsion unit<br />DS4G propulsion unit

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"Phase 1/ 2010 - unmanned space station to the orbit of Mars"</font><br /><br />How would a base on Phobos compare with an orbiting station? Possible? Advantageous? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[summoner]

double post. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[summoner]

As much as I would love to see it, we can't even finish a station in Earth orbit. How could we do it at Mars? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[tap_sa]

<font color="yellow">"1.4MW DS4G ion engine is slightly different version of current ion engine and velocity of thrust 210km/s give chance to use just 3 tons of Xenon to push 100tons Transfer vehicle to the speed close to escape velocity."</font><br /><br />With nominal 60% energy efficiency it takes 2.5 years to vent 3 tonnes of stuff at 210km/s using 1.4MW of power. That's kinda long wait, eh?

 

[scottb50]

And that's just the diagram. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jhoblik]

<b>2/ 2012 - unmanned MarsHab on the surface of Mars for 0.7B-1,8B</b><br />For Marshab mission two new hardware segments have to be developed:<br />MARSHAB(MH)<br /> 50% modify version of Bigelow Nautilus, able to handle Mars conditions<br />Development cost $500M, unit price $150M<br />MARS LANDER VEHICLE (MLV)<br />It has to be develop from scratch. It will be able to deliver 40 tons of cargo to the Mars. It will have heat shield , parachute system and rocket brakes and ability to safely deliver cargo or crew through the atmosphere of Mars to the surface. It could be modified from crane development for 2009 mission, if this design will be viable.<br />Hardware development ~$500M, unit price ~$200M<br /><br />FLIGHT PROFILE<br />August 2010 Marshab and DSG4 – Dual-Stage 4-Grid (DS4G) and 2x Mars lander vehicles(together) will be launched to the Earth orbit. September 2010 DSG4 turn on engine will start his over year acceleration to achieve Earth escape velocity. Solar panels and fuel cell energy will be use to power ion engine. Hydrogen and Oxygen will be generated during period when ion engine will be turn off to be ready to deliver additional 1MW power when DS4G will be used to increase speed and new orbit.<br /> November 2011 will be ready to leave Earth orbit using 3 tons Xenon. Both solar panel of LOX-LH2 unit and DS4G will generate LH2, LOX for final push to Mars trajectory. Than DSG4 will separate from configuration and start year long descent to LEO(could be use to boost other Mars mission). Marshab+2ML+LH2-LOX unit will start LH2-LOX engine to give configuration final push to Mars orbit. Two month before departure to Mars LH2-LOX unit will start generate LOX and LH2 for one of the Mars lander vehicle and also fuel for part of the configuration that will stay on the orbit.<br />It is important that thanks method to create most efficient chemical fuel at the moment when is necessary we are not required to keep LH2(LOX) for long time in liquid form. It will

 

[barf9]

I don't see how anyone but NASA can build a 100 ton HLV... SpaceX hasn't yet flown their Falcon 1 (I'm rooting for them) and their Falcon9-S9 the biggest rocket they're even talking about won't even put 25 metric tons in LEO. A privately devolped HLV just isn't going to happen.

 

[john_316]

For the love of the game....<br /><br />Your will and determination are great but the concept should only be partially used not all of it (yet).<br /><br />There still needs to be much figured out on transit times and artificial gravity for crew and etc etc. You know the drill...<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />