A few problems with this article:
One first step would be performing a successful sample return mission to Mars. To date all spacecrafts sent to the red planet have not returned to Earth.
None of them were intended to return to Earth. Though I do agree a Mars sample return mission would be nice.
A sample return mission would be important in mars exploration, not only because it would help us learn more about the geology of rocks, but also because it would prove that a manned mission to Mars would be possible in the near future.
Why is a sample return mission necessary for a manned mission? How would this prove that a manned mission would be possible? I wasn't aware that it's impossible. It's not. Though it is more likely an unmanned craft will carry back samples before a manned mission, a crew of astronauts could bring back a whole lot more samples of greater variety than any probe could.
Humans would be unable to survive on Mars for an extended period of time
How are we defining long periods of time here? Any sensible Mars mission will last for 500 days on the surface. That's quite a long time. Humans could spend decades on Mars with the proper bases and ISRU.
and experts agree that if we can’t send a few rocks back from Mars, we shouldn’t be sending people there and back.
Which experts is he talking about? And like ALP said, by that logic there should not have been an Apollo program. Not to mention the fact that no mission thus far has intended to bring back any samples.
Would the human body accept the change in pressure, temperature and water limitations as well as the changing sunset and sunrise, which controls the body’s internal clock?
The temperature and pressure change wouldn't be any different than what we have on the ISS. You'd think we would at least give them a few pressurized modules to live in! Jeez...
And what's this business about changing sunset and sunrise? A Martian day is only a little bit longer than an Earth day. That doesn't even matter though because as ALP said ISS astronauts experience this for 6 months at a time and don't have any issues.
Keeping the astronauts psychologically healthy is just as important as keeping them physically healthy. Crewmembers on a mission to Mars would be, probably, crammed into a tiny spacecraft, living with each other for two years.
This is a point often mentioned by Mars critics, and I still have yet to understand why it has become such a big issue. Psychological health is important, but those issues are trivial compared to the physical and techincal challenges that await. Astronauts are in perfect psychological health and they are usually quite busy during space missions. The conditions may be cramped but these guys are hardcore- they're not going to complain that they don't have as much leg room as they'd like. Besides, who would care about this anyway, they have an amazing mission and oppurtunity ahead of them and their fortunes are guaranteed once they return to Earth.
Pyschological health is the LEAST important issue in a Mars mission, by far.
You know I really have to question some of the research that he did for this article. On most things he is correct but the points I mentioned he does not seem to know what he's talking about.
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