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qso1
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yoda9999:<br />Phase 1: flag and footprint missions <br />Phase 2: missions to find sites, build simple settlements <br />Phase 3: send in the first lone settlers <br /><br />Me:<br />Here you have listed at least three missions. For the cost of those three missions, you could roll them up into one mission with return capability for the same cost or maybe even less cost.<br /><br />What do we need a flag and footprint mission for? Unlike the moon, Mars is far enough away to require we be more frugal with the types of missions. Robert Zubrin knew this when he proposed Mars Direct. There are a number of variations on Mars direct that could result in reasonably priced Mars missions with return capabilities.<br /><br />Any missions that may be needed to gain experience can be done at the moon as follows:<br /><br />Phase 1.....set up lunar outpost.<br /><br />Phase 2.....operate said outpost for 2 years with 6 month crew rotations.<br /><br />Phase 3.....send first mars base to mars unmanned.<br /><br />Phase 4.....send crew aboard mother ship with second base docked. That base would land crew on Mars where they would activate the other base and have two bases from the start. And return vehicles that would have enough propellant to leave mars and dock with the mother ship in mars orbit for the return to earth then repeat cycle from that point on except for phase 3 which could be done on an as needed basis.<br /><br />Any mars mission proposal that involves any colonization efforts will require large budgets over long periods of time. Or about the same amount of money it would trake to build the craft that will support one person for 20-40 years on mars surface with no hope of return. <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>