OT: Looks like we're (i.e. Humans) are going to Mars in 6 years...

[Gaimcock]

http://www.mars-one.com/news/press-releases/mars-one-will-settle-men-on-mars-in-2023

Hmm. Interesting. Question: Why do I not GAS?? Not sure honestly.

Thoughts...

 

[sandlapper59]

I think the establishment of a permanent habitat on Mars is far more difficult than such planners are considering. In spite of dreams otherwise, the venture will be an energy hog and there is currently no known easily exploitable source of energy.

I hope otherwise, but what I have gleaned about space travel over the last 60 years tells me such a project is many decades away. At least for the early times, everything, that is everything, needed will need to be take along and cost of transporting a pound of material to Mars is fantastically expensive.

 

[radcock]

http://www.mars-one.com/news/press-releases/mars-one-will-settle-men-on-mars-in-2023

Hmm. Interesting. Question: Why do I not GAS?? Not sure honestly.

Thoughts...

My thought is should vegas put a line on the current timetable being completed in 2023, I would bet my retirement on it....and then retire.

 

[Gaimcock]

I think the establishment of a permanent habitat on Mars is far more difficult than such planners are considering. In spite of dreams otherwise, the venture will be an energy hog and there is currently no known easily exploitable source of energy.

I hope otherwise, but what I have gleaned about space travel over the last 60 years tells me such a project is many decades away. At least for the early times, everything, that is everything, needed will need to be take along and cost of transporting a pound of material to Mars is fantastically expensive.

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

 

[sandlapper59]

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

I deliberately avoided that part of the subject as it is a separate question. Really, just another massively complex variable in the already overwhelmingly complex equation. Humans are nothing if not resourceful though, so who knows?

I left the US space program in 1955 to start on my education at Carolina with the GI Bill but retain a continuing interest in all things rocketry.

 

[uscg1984]

With the advancements in television production and CGI technology since 1969, I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to fake a Mars landing by 2023.

 

[lawcalcock]

Please... We'll be lucky to get to moon in 6 years

 

[king ward]

Let me know when the golf course is open.

 

[lawcalcock]

Let me know when the golf course is open.

i'll bet you can drive it 500 yards on Mars

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

With the advancements in television production and CGI technology since 1969, I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to fake a Mars landing by 2023.

Gosh I hope you are trying to be funny..... Maybe you should move to the edge of the flat earth where the ICE wall is.....

 

[lawcalcock]

I

Gosh I hope you are trying to be funny..... Maybe you should move to the edge of the flat earth where the ICE wall is.....

have never been a flat earther.. But i know technology moves forward until there is an extinction level catastrophy.. Can we land a man on the moon this year or next?

 

[Gaimcock]

I deliberately avoided that part of the subject as it is a separate question. Really, just another massively complex variable in the already overwhelmingly complex equation. Humans are nothing if not resourceful though, so who knows?

I left the US space program in 1955 to start on my education at Carolina with the GI Bill but retain a continuing interest in all things rocketry.

Sir, I you are at least 34 years senior to me! A pleasure to chat with here, and I'm certain you have more than a few stories to tell!

 

[uscg1984]

Gosh I hope you are trying to be funny..... Maybe you should move to the edge of the flat earth where the ICE wall is.....

I was trying to be funny, but anybody who thinks we'll land a live human on Mars by 2023 might as well join the Flat Earth Society.

 

[wallycock]

i'll bet you can drive it 500 yards on Mars

Which astronaught was it that took a golf ball and club to the moon, and drove it to illustrate the low gravity of the moon? Wonder how far that shot went, and where that ball is now?

 

[67gamecock]

With the advancements in television production and CGI technology since 1969, I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to fake a Mars landing by 2023.

Yep. Give us anudder one just like the udder one or they fell for it once. Hell, try it again!

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

I was trying to be funny, but anybody who thinks we'll land a live human on Mars by 2023 might as well join the Flat Earth Society.

I''ll agree with you there.....NASA couldn't get back to the moon in 6 years much less Mars. I think the money could be better spent her on our flat blue globe.....

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

I

have never been a flat earther.. But i know technology moves forward until there is an extinction level catastrophy.. Can we land a man on the moon this year or next?

I am sure we could but why? Challenge the private firms to do it and I am sure it could get done. NASA couldn't get a vehicle built in 6 years.

 

[SCexpat38]

Anybody on here read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy? It's science fiction, but it made me a believer that colonizing Mars is doable and probably will happen.
Now, that might be later rather than sooner, but assuming we don't blow ourselves into smithereens in the next few decades I think we'll see this thing get off the ground.

 

[vehemon]

I''ll agree with you there.....NASA couldn't get back to the moon in 6 years much less Mars. I think the money could be better spent her on our flat blue globe.....

That's the thing... that flat blue globe needs a common goal to keep everyone focus. Not the endless corruption and injustice currently filling it.

 

[Golden Cock]

Crazy idea.

 

[funktavious]

http://www.mars-one.com/news/press-releases/mars-one-will-settle-men-on-mars-in-2023

Hmm. Interesting. Question: Why do I not GAS?? Not sure honestly.

Thoughts...

Your wife is probably happy you don't have GAS.

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

http://www.mars-one.com/news/press-releases/mars-one-will-settle-men-on-mars-in-2023

Hmm. Interesting. Question: Why do I not GAS?? Not sure honestly.

Thoughts...

Well this is dated 2012 so they should be well on there way to planning it with 6 years under their belt. And this is the first i have heard of it? Me thinks they are not going to make their deadline. (no pun intended)

 

[lawcalcock]

Well this is dated 2012 s.o they should be well on there way to planning it with 6 years under their belt. And this is the first i have heard of it? Me thinks they are not going to make their deadline. (no pun intended)

China and Russia have been talking about going to the moon for 20 years and can't do it... Something about surviving the Van Allen Radiation belts... I guess American astronauts are immune to those intense bands

 

[danny_dristor]

Which astronaught was it that took a golf ball and club to the moon, and drove it to illustrate the low gravity of the moon?

Alan Shepard, the first American in space..

 

[achilles#]

I think the establishment of a permanent habitat on Mars is far more difficult than such planners are considering. In spite of dreams otherwise, the venture will be an energy hog and there is currently no known easily exploitable source of energy.

I hope otherwise, but what I have gleaned about space travel over the last 60 years tells me such a project is many decades away. At least for the early times, everything, that is everything, needed will need to be take along and cost of transporting a pound of material to Mars is fantastically expensive.

You ain't kidding. Look this topic is beyond the scope of a college football message board. But until we get a cheap (energetically) to get out of the earth's gravity well, nothing like this is happening.

Pointless stunt to send a human to Mars (and let's assume we planned to bring him back). Robots are going to be doing.... all the exploration and any other work in the solar system. Human's silly insistance on breathing and coming back from any mission, let alone having to account for food, poop, climate control, heavy radiation shielding...

Just not happening. My guess has been for a long time that the first human to step foot on Mars will find the equivalent of a five star hotel waiting for him to spend time in. It will be built remotely by robots, so why not make something nice?

As far as "colonizing" Mars, again until we have Space Elevators (conceptually they work, and we could probably build one - if we had materials that could actually compose the tether), we aren't sending four or five hundred people to Mars one Apollo type booster at a time.

If you want to get wonky, we could send as much sperm and ova as a doomsday package for safekeeping. Not sure how long that stuff keeps on ice, but it's something.

Or just do really complete DNA sequencing and have a data warehouse on Mars - or wherever at that point. Space Habitat, Moon,Moons of Jupiter, wherever really.

As far as that Space Elevator thing goes, it has been extensively studied. The math works, and they have even worked out construction techniques. As I said the problem is materials, materials that seem to be theoretically possible to make, though the timetable is anyone's guess. Anywhere from next year with some neat breakthrough, to fifty years or so on the outside.

My two cents.

 

[Gaimcock]

Well this is dated 2012 so they should be well on there way to planning it with 6 years under their belt. And this is the first i have heard of it? Me thinks they are not going to make their deadline. (no pun intended)

My bad. I didn't even verify the release date of that. My bad. See, there ya go: don't post just because you're stuck in traffic on 77 here downtown Charlotte. =;-p

In fact, there "human" departure date is now 2031

My guess is it's gonna be delayed to the point of just not happening within the next 50 years at least. Too much sh_t to get together before then.

 

[HI Cock]

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

As long as I can still read FGF, I'll go.

 

[Gradstudent]

Weren't the Egyptians already there? HA, tip of a pyramid

I do love all the pics and the conspiracies

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

Weren't the Egyptians already there? HA, tip of a pyramid

I do love all the pics and the conspiracies

hmmmm.....that is a natural perfect pyramid.....nature is amazing.

 

[surfincock]

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

I signed up. Seriously. I’d go and not comeback if they would take an old man. I’m an engineer and could add value. But sure, I would go there and establish a colony and live out my years there. It would be awesome!

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Well, the energy problem is now solved with the discovery of water, particularly ice in the polar regions. A simple process to extract hydrogen for an energy source. Also, supplemental solar panels for recharging batteries.

With Elon Musk's successful launch of his reusable heavy rocket, a small fleet of these could launch heavy loads on a nearly daily basis.

Likely habitats will be largely underground for protection as the Mars atmosphere doesn't provide adequate blocking of harmful rays. It will be many years before infrastructure can build safely shielded structures. 3D printers (large scale) will assist in construction.

The current crews are assuming a one way trip, however, it may be possible for return trips within their lifetime. Once rocket fuel is sent as cargo (not a priority early on) and a refueling "station" is built, return trips will be possible.

If properly funded, being on Mars by 2023(original date) is doable, but I doubt it would be adequately funded. The new date is more a funding constriction, than a technological issue.

We need to be there permanently for survival of the species. A super virus could cause an extinction event, a nuclear war, an asteroid impact, etc.

 

[tl from little hell]

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

There are quite few I would like to nominate for that one way trip.

 

[Gaimcock]

There are quite few I would like to nominate for that one way trip.

LOL!! Kinda like the Brits did Australia!!

 

[Horseshoe 04]

I thought Arnold Schwarzenegger had already been there done that !

 

[robertfootball]

The thing that baffles me here is that those that go ain't coming back! I mean seriously, that's the upfront deal: the initial folks that go knowingly accept that it's a one way trip so as to a establish permanent place of residence on the 4th Rock from the sun.

Anybody here wanna do that??

No but I'd volunteer some people to do it!

 

[sandlapper59]

Well, the energy problem is now solved with the discovery of water, particularly ice in the polar regions. A simple process to extract hydrogen for an energy source. Also, supplemental solar panels for recharging batteries.

With Elon Musk's successful launch of his reusable heavy rocket, a small fleet of these could launch heavy loads on a nearly daily basis.

Likely habitats will be largely underground for protection as the Mars atmosphere doesn't provide adequate blocking of harmful rays. It will be many years before infrastructure can build safely shielded structures. 3D printers (large scale) will assist in construction.

The current crews are assuming a one way trip, however, it may be possible for return trips within their lifetime. Once rocket fuel is sent as cargo (not a priority early on) and a refueling "station" is built, return trips will be possible.

If properly funded, being on Mars by 2023(original date) is doable, but I doubt it would be adequately funded. The new date is more a funding constriction, than a technological issue.

We need to be there permanently for survival of the species. A super virus could cause an extinction event, a nuclear war, an asteroid impact, etc.

I hear this a lot. You know that we have lots of water on earth. How has that solved our energy problem even with all the resources we have here? How does the net energy output compare to the energy input and where do we get that on Mars? If the habitat is going to be deep under ground, why not just bore holes in the Rocky Mountains?

I also think a Mars colony is possible but not anytime soon.

Perhaps a bigger question is; Does our species deserve to survive? What makes us superior and more worthy than the other creatures here or are you advocating a Ark? Some of the time, we seem hell bent on eliminating ourselves and many appear to welcome such an outcome.

Except for continued study, I favor unmanned spacecraft research of the cosmos as being far more beneficial to mankind than showy manned excursions. It is great to see our space program gathering a bit of steam after being rendered impotent by the Space shuttle.

 

[SCexpat38]

I hear this a lot. You know that we have lots of water on earth. How has that solved our energy problem even with all the resources we have here? How does the net energy output compare to the energy input and where do we get that on Mars? If the habitat is going to be deep under ground, why not just bore holes in the Rocky Mountains?

I also think a Mars colony is possible but not anytime soon.

Perhaps a bigger question is; Does our species deserve to survive? What makes us superior and more worthy than the other creatures here or are you advocating a Ark? Some of the time, we seem hell bent on eliminating ourselves and many appear to welcome such an outcome.

Except for continued study, I favor unmanned spacecraft research of the cosmos as being far more beneficial to mankind than showy manned excursions. It is great to see our space program gathering a bit of steam after being rendered impotent by the Space shuttle.

Amen to that. Sometimes, when you look at how we treat our home (Earth) I think people are worse than fire ants and termites put together.

 

[West305]

Which astronaught was it that took a golf ball and club to the moon, and drove it to illustrate the low gravity of the moon? Wonder how far that shot went, and where that ball is now?

That was the first American in space Alan Sheppard. He used a piece of equipment as his driver. Not sure if the distance, but looked like he stroked it pretty good. This was on Apollo 14.

 

[uscg1984]

China and Russia have been talking about going to the moon for 20 years and can't do it... Something about surviving the Van Allen Radiation belts... I guess American astronauts are immune to those intense bands

Yes, that radiation belt is a big stumbling block for travel to the moon, much less Mars. I'm not an engineer, and I've never launched anything other than Estes model rockets, so I don't claim to know all the limitations or possibilities of travel into deep space. But I have come to know this about science: Once a discovery is made, there's no keeping it in a box. By this, I mean that it may take years or decades to make that first discovery or huge leap, but once done, the international science community wastes no time replicating and expanding on that discovery. Nuclear weaponry is a perfect example of this phenomenon. The Apollo missions to the moon represent the single glaring exception. We're on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, and nobody - not Russia, China, private industry, or even our own NASA - seems even CLOSE to replicating that level of success. A number of nations have launched unmanned missions to the moon (which are about 50% successful), but in almost 50 years, nobody has felt confident enough to send a human back to the Moon. That's pretty freaking odd, right?

For the record, I don't think our government faked the moon landing - partly because the only thing that seems more implausible than a moon landing is the idea that we could have kept such a huge secret for 50 years. But the fact that the moon landing is such an impossibly difficult task to replicate tells me that we aren't going to see men walking on Mars by 2023, 2031, or probably any other date I could expect to reach in my lifetime. I do, however, expect that as long as there is somebody willing to stroke the check to see it happen, there will always be somebody else claiming they are on the cusp of doing it.

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

Does Mars have the internet?