Europe's Mars missions gets final go-ahead

Europe's Mars missions get final go-ahead

Member-states of the European Space Agency (Esa) have given final approval to revised plans to explore Mars.
The 2016 orbiter would be designed to track down the sources of methane and other trace gases recently detected at Mars. The presence of methane is intriguing because its likely origin is either present-day life or geological activity.

Source article:BBC


This is very interesting to me.
Wouldnt it be nice, to see nations competitively developing technology, and designing missions to explore again? Another "space race" scenario?

Iniad finds water traces on the moon, and NASA immediately does study also. We send rovers to Mars, now Europe jumps in to! All we need is ONE huge find on Mars, and everyone will want to be a part of it. Space, and other worlds install wonderment, no matter what nation you are from.

Do you think this is a step in the right direction?

It would be nice to make some major advances in our lifetimes.

(fixed title)

[edit on Tue Dec 22 2009 by Jbird]

I think it's great to see other nations with exciting missions on the horizon. It should make a whole new group of people more interested in this subject.

Thanks for posting this!

The Japanese have a really cool one coming up. you can send a message to venus -

See Here -

www.abovetopsecret.com...

g

My message to venus:

"Hey guys, dont come here, unless you are full of malintent, murderous, and pedjudiced. Otherwise, you just wouldnt fit in"

The exploration projects will be undertaken in partnership with the US space agency (Nasa).

Does this mean everything has to be approved by NASA?

Originally posted by conar
Does this mean everything has to be approved by NASA?

It just means that the ESA and NASA will be working together. It's called the Mars Joint Exploration Initiative (MEJI)

Originally posted by InertiaZero
My message to venus:

"Hey guys, dont come here, unless you are full of malintent, murderous, and pedjudiced. Otherwise, you just wouldnt fit in"

I think you posted in the wrong thread, the Venus probe being launched from Japan is in another thread I just posted in that thread.

Until then, back on topic ehh?

just finished reading up on the MEJI linky, and after reading that one i'm saddened by the observation that they don't seem to have made plans for implementing an Aldrin Cycler.

Aldrin's system of cycling spacecraft makes travel to Mars possible using far less propellant than conventional means, with an expected five and a half month journey from the Earth to Mars, and a return trip to Earth of about the same duration on a twin semi-cycler. The Aldrin Cycler's design features a slow rotation of the spacecraft to create artificial gravity to avoid the bone and muscle loss hazard of weightlessness on long-duration trips. In each cycle when the Aldrin Cycler's trajectory swings it by the Earth, a smaller Earth-departing interceptor spacecraft ferries crew and cargo up to dock with the Cycler spacecraft.

I've read numerous research papers from the ESA and NASA scientists. They conclude the methane is almost certain to be associated to some sort of life.

However, what type of life, we don't know. These silly probes with limited digging capability are not helping to find "Genesis" - a drilling team should be sent to Mars. Life will be deep within the Martian soil, any insects or small animals (possibly) are expected to be near underground water caverns.

Send humans to find the ultimate prize. Even start a research lab on the surface.

We have the finance and technology to do it.

I could even start a similar rant in reference to Europa.

Originally posted by InertiaZero
Europe's Mars missions get final go-ahead

Member-states of the European Space Agency (Esa) have given final approval to revised plans to explore Mars.
The 2016 orbiter would be designed to track down the sources of methane and other trace gases recently detected at Mars. The presence of methane is intriguing because its likely origin is either present-day life or geological activity.

Source article:BBC


This is very interesting to me.
Wouldnt it be nice, to see nations competitively developing technology, and designing missions to explore again? Another "space race" scenario?

Iniad finds water traces on the moon, and NASA immediately does study also. We send rovers to Mars, now Europe jumps in to! All we need is ONE huge find on Mars, and everyone will want to be a part of it. Space, and other worlds install wonderment, no matter what nation you are from.

Do you think this is a step in the right direction?

It would be nice to make some major advances in our lifetimes.

Of course it's a step in the right direction, one thing I do think will happen is at least India and maybe Europe will be a bit more honest than NASA, you have to admit NASA is corrupt to the core, it's about time other nations got out there, and to be honest I think it a bit arrogant to even ask whether it's a step in the right direction, you think the USA/NASA owns the solar system?? It won’t be a space race either, that's something that happened in the 60's between the US and Russia, this day and age most nations work together....

Sorry for my rant, yes NASA have done more than any other nation, but then again they have had the money to spend on it, then promptly held back any information they see fit, ... Europe & Asia will catch up, you watch this space.... (pun intended)

reply to post by Majestic RNA


Haha, no NASA doesnt own space yet. Youre right.
I often think in rhetorical questions and therefore, type them.

When I mentioned space race, I meant pure competition. Of course working together is good also. But if there is just one find, by anyone, that is incredibly significant...maybe that will make other countries want to discover more than the USA.
Competition will fuel discovery.
It will speed it up.

Thats all i meant.

Good comments!

Originally posted by InertiaZero
reply to post by Majestic RNA

 

Haha, no NASA doesnt own space yet. Youre right.
I often think in rhetorical questions and therefore, type them.

When I mentioned space race, I meant pure competition. Of course working together is good also. But if there is just one find, by anyone, that is incredibly significant...maybe that will make other countries want to discover more than the USA.
Competition will fuel discovery.
It will speed it up.

Thats all i meant.

Good comments!

Ok, cool, I get ya, I think the competition will come from not nations, but the private sector, it's already started with the Virgin galactic program, who knows what other private sector companies will go for, I'd love to see it go public, we'd get our answers I think, truthful answers much more than government sponsored programs, I hope it does go in that direction, only time and money will tell I guess...

Again soz for the rant... got me back up a bit is all

reply to post by Majestic RNA


I would LOVE to see private sectors compete.
I rencently did a thread on Virgin Galactic, and the price for their flight is pretty steep.
Steep prices=GREEDY.
I understand you have to pay for the research, the tech...but bragging rights and money make the world go round.

Well.....I say good. The motivation is inconsenquential. If the private sector's motivations are fueld by greed, thats fine. Whom ever discovers things first, gets the fame.

Bill Gates? George Lucas...what gives?! You guys could do it!

I duno if it's greed rather than paying for expenses at the mo, Yeah I’m sure they'll be making a profit but how much I wouldn't know, but your right it would be very interesting to see what the private sector does in competition with each other...I really think we as humans should start the process as the human species rather than nations/companies... but I'm dreaming if I think that will happens any time soon

[edit on 21-12-2009 by Majestic RNA]

Originally posted by infinite
I've read numerous research papers from the ESA and NASA scientists. They conclude the methane is almost certain to be associated to some sort of life.

However, what type of life, we don't know. These silly probes with limited digging capability are not helping to find "Genesis" - a drilling team should be sent to Mars. Life will be deep within the Martian soil, any insects or small animals (possibly) are expected to be near underground water caverns.

Send humans to find the ultimate prize. Even start a research lab on the surface.

We have the finance and technology to do it.

I could even start a similar rant in reference to Europa.

Which papers were these? I ask because this topic interests me and I am more partial to the geological source