[extropy-chat] MARS: Because it is hard

Spike spike66 at comcast.net
Tue Apr 13 06:22:19 UTC 2004


> Matus:

> Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] MARS: Because it is hard

> - Robert Zubrin "The Case for Mars" pg 136
> 
> According to Zubrin, it doesn't make much sense to go to the Moon as a
> staging point for a trip to Mars...

I came to his same conclusion before Zubrin's book
was published.  Not much payoff in going to Luna.
Possibly worthwhile to park some stuff on Phobos or
Deimos, equipment for communications 


> 
> Zubrin Mars Direct plan has pretty much won me over, does anyone here
> have any objections or counter arguments?  I would be interested in
> hearing some criticisms of his plan.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Michael

He sold me on that too.  Speaking with him one
on one, I was unable to sell him on the value of
sending only two women.  

He went off on how that
would be unnecessary to go with a crew of less than
four, since we could use his nifty Shuttle-A plan:
use existing production infrastructure for the
external tank and the solids, remove the tail, wings
and wheels from the current shuttle.  (I don't see
why that wouldn't work, since we will be phasing
out the shuttle soon.  We might as well make the
last flight a one-way.)

I argued that even with the Shuttle-A, we would
still use our limited payload for carrying
construction and manufacturing equipment, not 
additional astronauts.

He wasn't buying it.  

But don't take my word for it: do the math.  Find
out how much it costs per kg to soft-land on Mars,
then you tell me how many are going and what kind
of people they will be.  spike






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