NASA Plans Manned Missions To Mars

NASA Plans Manned Missions To Mars

www.informationweek.com

Defending a budget that effectively cancels a program that would have returned humans to the moon by 2020, NASA's top official said the space agency is looking beyond the lunar surface—to Mars.

In a statement, NASA administrator Charlie Bolden noted that the $3.8 trillion federal budget proposal handed down earlier this week by President Obama provides $3 billion over five years in funds "for robotic exploration precursor missions that will pave the way for human exploration of the moon, Mars, and nearby asteroids."

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I for one think the privatization of space is going to mark a new era of spaceflight. This I believe is why the Ares and Orion programs have had a hard time getting "off the ground". I think this privatization has been in the minds of government for a while and is the reason we have not had a good back up for the soon to be defunct Space Shuttle program.

Think about it. Bush set up the problem with stating we are going back to the moon with NASA, knowing a financial crisis was looming. If he were to say that we are going to pretty much nix NASA at that time, I think the reaction would be bad.

Now we have the solution and every one looks good. And also maybe we will get some decent pictures now.

One of the companies to keep an eye on.
www.adastrarocket.com...

www.informationweek.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

less talk, more action. I'll go. you hear me Branson? sterilize me, tell me I wont come back, tell me I'll be anonymous, I still want to go. I grew up going to the chicago space museum eating that crappy astronaut food. u2u me. I'm in

We are allready there I think...how else did the solor panels stay clean for 5 years on the rovers?

Originally posted by Grayelf2009
We are allready there I think...how else did the solor panels stay clean for 5 years on the rovers?

wipers maybe?

2nd sarcastic line.

reply to post by Grayelf2009

The going story is a stiff breeze. I wish they would fix the broken wheels.

Progress is really slow, they really need to speed it up.

FOIA: NASA/University Advanced Space Design Program - 2nd - 1986

2010: A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A MANNED, ROTATING, GEOSYNCHRONOUS SPACE STATION The design of a permanently manned geosynchronous space habitat (GSH), to be operational in 2010, poses a unique design challenge. New technologies mandated for the development of GSH include structures, shielding, power, control systems, life support systems, and controlled ecological life support system (CESS). These subsystems can be applied to all future space missions…

MARS EXPLORATION MISSIONS This program is planned for the years 1990 to 2010 and consists of two phases: the unmanned Exploratory Mission and the Manned Mission. This program for the exploration of Mars adopts NASA's objectives as its primary goals. The Exploratory phase of the Mars mission paves the way for future missions, collecting information vital to the establishment of a manned surface base, as well as scientific data for the better understanding of Mars, its history, and its environment. This phase will examine possible base sites with regard to surface features, meteorological, magnetic and seismic environment, and composition.....

PROJECT KEPLER Transporting personnel to Mars for a manned landing and exploration is a major undertaking. To carry out this mission, an efficient and reliable transportation system is required. Advances in the technology areas of electric propuision, nuclear electric power, thermal management and control of large space structures will have to take place before such a mission is possible.

MANNED MARS MlSSION …The scenario requires the design of five major components a cargo craft, an insertion assist vehicle, a personnel transport vehicle, a Mars orbiting station, and a Mars lander. The Mars orbiting station consists of a hub containing docking bays for the Mars lander and orbital transfer vehicles…..

I'll volunteer to be shot off to Mars.. anything to get off this planet. Maybe when I come back, if I decide to come back, we will have some peace in the Middle East.

I think before we shoot men off to Mars in a spaceship we should try to put a Spacestation in Mars' orbit. We already have a satelite there.

The atmosphere on Mars is thinner and Earths and consists of 95% carbon dioxide. Also, Mars is smaller than Earth and the gravitational pull is much less. If you weighed 100 lbs on Earth you would weigh 37.7 lbs on Mars. So it would be easier to blast off from the ground on Mars to space.

Our people would be be launched from Earth during the window in space-time when Mars is closest to Earth. Dock with the Spacestation and drop down in monster truck type rovers. These rovers should have an ejectable capsule that could get our men back to the Mars Spacestation. The main part of the rover would be left on Mars and would reusable after the capsule is replaced when another team drops down.

I know it isn't that easy and will be the most dangerous mission mankind has ever faced but we gotta try!