Posted on 04/27/2017 2:29:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
American astronauts may be walking on Mars in the next eight years, or ideally the next four, if President Donald Trump has his way. But the new timetable has baffled experts in space travel.
(AUDIO-AT-LINK)
The surprise announcement — or rather instruction — took place this week during a live video conference between President Trump and veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is currently aboard the International Space Station.
During the conversation, Trump asked Whitson when it would be possible to send a human to Mars. She gave a careful and detailed answer explaining that a trip to the Red Planet might be possible sometime in the 2030s.
Not good enough for the White House. "Well, we want to try and do it during my first term or, at worst, during my second term, so we'll have to speed that up a little, OK?" Trump replied. There was awkward laughter from outer space. "We'll do our best!" Whitson promised, grinning.
According to Professor Tom Pike of Imperial College London (who worked on the 2008 Mars Phoenix Lander), the NASA timetable cannot easily be shortened. "I wasn't quite sure whether [Trump] was mis-speaking. Maybe he meant the moon, [not Mars]?" Pike says. "He's got to do it on a realistic timescale, and with the budget that gives it the funding that it would require."
One of the biggest constraints is the return journey, according to Pike. Compared to the Moon, Mars has much higher gravity, and a substantial atmosphere. So a rocket for the return will probably need to be sent to Mars well in advance. That plan is still at an early stage.
That is not the only matter to be overcome. "The issue is not just sending a man or woman to Mars," Pike says. "[Currently] even the space station is out of reach. The American astroanauts now there are there courtesy of the Russians, since the end of the shuttle program. So to go from essentially zero [to Mars] — this is a stretch."
He was obviously kidding around with them. Dumb article.
Any “extra” money needs to be focused on removing illegal aliens and restoring the rule of law.
I think his remarks were to show that he was in full support of the Space Program.
Did the media lambast JFK when he said we would go to the moon?
astronauts in 2017 - not exactly cut from the mold of the ones from the Right Stuff era.
They’re more baffled that they’re expected to explore space rather than worship Gaia.
Most of the technology you enjoy today came, directly or indirectly, from our going to the Moon. You knew that, right?
The expensive and difficult part is coming back.
Some have said we should go straight to colonization. Those who sought new lands didn’t expect to return. If we don’t waste huge amounts on the return trip we might have resources to build human habitation. I think there would be no shortage of people willing to make it a one way trip and leave their bones, and decedents, on Mars.
There was already a sign-up sheet on the Internet and millions signed on, IIRC.
Remember, pretty much anyone who has any type of a degree came from the Universities we have. That aught to explain a lot.
I’m sure people said that about Kennedy and the moon missions back in the day too.
Muslims
“Did the media lambast JFK when he said we would go to the moon?”
Yep. Many did.
The MSM has always been two-faced and FOS.
Just like most of the media of the day lambasted Lincoln for being a buffoon. He only became a great hero after he was assassinated. Then they treated him as equal to Christ.
Yes and I appreciate it.
I don’t appreciate the barrio that moved in down the road.
Remove the volumes of economy-strangling government regulations and we'd have billions to play around with.
We might even be able to land a man on the sun like North Korea did.
And democrat leaders. They are so smart, it should be easy for them.
NASA hasn’t done anything on budget and on time in decades
I live in Texas where some of the billboards are in Spanish, yet they don’t bother me. Can you move?
Pookie's Toons yesterday included a great cartoon on the trip-to-Mars proposal.
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