Long term missions to Mars or the Moon? You going?

[willpittenger]

If we could send a long term mission to the Moon or Mars (where any mission is long term), would you go? First, would you prefer a lunar or Martian mission? Second, how long would you be willing to stay? Third, what would you do while there besides play Solitaire?

 

[JonClarke]

I'd go! Preferably to Mars. But I would not turn down a chance to go to the Moon! How long for? That would be dictated to by orbital mechanics for Mars. But the Moon I'd got for 6 to 12 months, like the Antarctic.

What would I do? Geology, and maybe some gardening in my spare time. Write a blog, trying to commincate what it was like.

 

[nimbus]

Mars, one way. I'd only ask for a copy of at least all of the Congress Library digitized. I suppose most of the time they would have such settlers working to establish the foundations for those that followed.

 

[willpittenger]

Mars, one way. I'd only ask for a copy of at least all of the Congress Library digitized. I suppose most of the time they would have such settlers working to establish the foundations for those that followed.

I figure our current technology wouldn't allow you to carry the entire Library of Congress in one trip. Not enough storage density. Also, we will miss you here on SDC. If you tried to access it, I figure each page would take a long time to arrive.

 

[nimbus]

Hehe... I'd still do it, easily.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Mars, one way trip. I'll be the cook for the expedition. :mrgreen:

 

[JonClarke]

Mars, one way. I'd only ask for a copy of at least all of the Congress Library digitized. I suppose most of the time they would have such settlers working to establish the foundations for those that followed.

I figure our current technology wouldn't allow you to carry the entire Library of Congress in one trip. Not enough storage density. Also, we will miss you here on SDC. If you tried to access it, I figure each page would take a long time to arrive.

You could have a local mirror site with which you would interact in real time. But it would update slowly with new input. But blog with a Q&A section would be better. No net surfing, but net usage would be still possible.

Jon

 

[trailrider]

The way things are going now...IF I could pass the physcial...doubtful with a bad back and an underachieving pancreas...I'd spend the time learning and perfecting my spoken and written...CHINESE! :evil: That's so I could communicate with the rest of the crew!

Those things aside, much as I'd like to walk the red soil of Mars, I think for the present I (and the rest of Humankind) would be best served by first learning to work and live on the Moon. Then, once commercial interests could be brought in to take over operations of whatever kind, we can move on to Mars and the NEO's, etc. Otherwise, if we go for Mars and succeed once, we might not go back for another century!

Sadly, the lack of support for Constellation or whatever else might take America back to the Moon in a "reasonable" timeframe, bodes ill for the entire U.S. space program! Constellation is already suffering the "death of 1000 cuts"!

 

[bdewoody]

I would take a permanent post at either place. 1 G is my enemy as I have severly reduced strength in my legs. I figure either 1/3 or 1/6 gravity would be a real treat for me. I would love ro be an astronomer based on the far side of the moon.

 

[artemiit]

I have an idea of mine to go to Mars too . It’s too complex to write here , it’s a project more than idea and. I think to show it in some scientfic conferences Here I can only tell that main part of this project is a new super heavy launche that I think to name “ Orvietano A.C. ( Advanced Cargo ) “ because I live and work in Italian town called Orvieto .
This launcher will have : three stages , first and second with LOX/LOH engines and third with Timberwind nuclear engines . It’s will be able to carry into LEO 700 metric tons . and wold be 120 meters high ( with payloads ) and would have a more larger base than Saturn V

 

[elguapoguano]

I'm there, I'd do the Moon or Mars wouldn't really care. Although for the Mars trip I'd like to have a little spin enforced 3/8th gravity action to retain bone density and muscle strength for my jaunts across the surface.

 

[willpittenger]

I'm there, I'd do the Moon or Mars wouldn't really care. Although for the Mars trip I'd like to have a little spin enforced 3/8th gravity action to retain bone density and muscle strength for my jaunts across the surface.

Would you like 1G for the trip home or would you settle for 3/8G then too?

 

[dragon04]

I'd go in a skinny minute.

As far as what to do? Hopefully, the ship would be at least as large as a couple ISS modules. In fact, I prefer that we look at modular design for my Mars Trip. I'd like to see 2 or 3 fairly "spacious" modules boosted into LEO by th eless expensive non man-rated boosters and assembled in orbit.

Then me, my guitar, my PS2, a high-end laptop and a couple of extra removable 1TB HD's full of games and Wiki and mp3's and everything else you can download onto 2 or 3 TB can hop on board for the transit. Of course, if room allowed, one could also have a nice rig with a full ATX tower and 4 2TB HD's.

Once there, I should hope that I had a little Hab or 3, perhaps inflatable like Bigelows, and the equipment and supplies to do meaningful hydroponic gardening, and also the ability to go outside and explore and collect samples to test in a lab as minimal as possible without compromising diversity of testing.

That and a Comsat in Geostationary orbit with some decent bandwidth for communication. I'd stay 5 years without blinking. In fact, I wouldn't want to spend all that transit time for boots and a flag and then an immediate ride home.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Better count me out, I eat too many beans.

 

[Gravity_Ray]

I would go.
I think the plan for putting together a research outpost on the Moon is fairly mature. The Moon is a harder on life environment than Mars so what ever we learn there will certainly apply to Mars. Also the Moon is much closer to Earth and possible safety.

What this Moon base should be used for is in situ research of materials processing (basically converting something that exists in that place to something we can use). In situ research into energy processing (turning either nuclear or solar power into what we need). In situ research into food production (what it costs to feed 100 people). Not to mention any science that can be done, for example maintaining a smaller astronomy base on the far side of the Moon by the larger base. Learning about a young solar system and how our Earth Moon system formed and its meaning to life.

All these things have been done on Earth, but we have never done all of this stuff outside of the Earth environment. We have to learn some place if we are going to be a space faring civilization. The Moon is the closest platform outside of our gravity. Seems to me the best place to start and practice. If we can not achieve this goal on the Moon then perhaps we were not meant to be a space fairing civilization.