Marshall works on astronauts' radiation shield

The Birmingham News ^ | 16 Jan 2004 | Kent Faulk

[ambrose]

Okay...

Here's one thought about the issue of getting astronauts safely back to Earth.

Don't bother...

Let's get some hearty souls are willing to colonize Mars from the get go. Prepare the appropriate equipment, and send them off to arrive in six months. Simultaneously send out numerous other rocket ships containing food, water, vehicle to drive on Mars, equipment to build shelters, etc.

Then we send out supplies as needed.

Is this idea unworkable? If so, why?

[Triple Word Score]

It sounds like a great starting philosophy.

I am writing to my legislators urging them to get the government selling Space Bonds. I want to invest in this. I believe the human race can get fabulously wealthy by expanding (it always has!) and I want to put my money where my mouth is.

And this would let all the weenies who want to stay "safe" on earth opt out. (Like it's safe to keep all your assets in one place!)

[ambrose]

I guess my last point is we're spending too much time obsessing with astronaut safety. The astronauts should know ahead of time that they're volunteering for an extremely risky exploration enterprise for the betterment of all mankind.

Enough with the school teachers and 80 year-old senators!

We need people who will knowingly put their lives on the line to advance our knowledge of the solar system. We will advance by leaps and bounds once we engage in space travel with this basic understanding.

[ambrose]

I love the idea of space bonds. Also see my no. 4.

[Squantos]

I like it !

[Triple Word Score]

Well, it's nice to finish the trip with some bone mass. You could probably get by with less on Mars than you need here. Still, I'm squeamish about that bones-so-weak-your-muscles-pull-them-apart thing.

But I think centrifuge exercise is a good start on that, and that's something every SF reader is well-familiar with. We can do it--it's 14000 BC technology with some good gaskets thrown in. ;-)

The pioneers who crossed the Great Plains often did it barefoot with a handcart at best, and they buried many loved ones on the way. We're their heirs. We owe them a bit more courage than we show.

I think we're afraid of the wrong things!

[LPM1888]

Okay...

Here's one thought about the issue of getting astronauts safely back to Earth.

Don't bother...

Let's get some hearty souls are willing to colonize Mars from the get go. Prepare the appropriate equipment, and send them off to arrive in six months. Simultaneously send out numerous other rocket ships containing food, water, vehicle to drive on Mars, equipment to build shelters, etc.

Then we send out supplies as needed.

Is this idea unworkable? If so, why?

I volunteer to go!!

[Triple Word Score]

I'd go and I'd take my kids and cats with me. That's what pioneers DO!

The dog, though--I'd have to find a home for her.

[BenLurkin]

[Old Student]

Yeah, and what the heck is wrong with school teachers? Or 80-year-old Senators, for that matter? :)

I'm in my late forties, I'll likely be 50 by the time I finish my degree program, and I'd go to Mars in a heartbeat! I started high school in the fall of 1969, and I spent the best part of the summer glued to my B&W TV. By the time we get something put together for a Mars trip, I'm likely to be way over 80. I'd go to the Moon now, if I could get a ticket. Save the young guys for Jupiter and Saturn and beyond!

[ambrose]

I don't see how that's a problem. Russia had cosmonauts on the Mir for nearly two years. Sure they were scrawny and weak when they came back, but they managed.

On Mars, it has 1/3 the Earth's gravity, so it isn't like we'd be floating all over the place. In fact, the lessened gravity would probably be of considerable aid in constructing settlement camps since we'd be able to move the heavy equipment around with much greater ease.

The colonists would simply have to stay on a strict exercise regimen.

[Triple Word Score]

Saturn and beyond--brrrrr!

But it's warmer where Spirit is than it is in New York right now.

http://www.wokr13.tv/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=561A8B2D-697F-4A9B-BCC5-C1B3820B0B00

E=mc2, so we can stay warm ANYWHERE!

[ambrose]

Nothing wrong with teachers or the elderly, but it just mocks our entire space program. NASA can't become some airline to fly around politically approved passengers. It has to be understood this is VERY DANGEROUS and we aren't going to just sit around with our thumbs up our butts for years, not going anywhere, because there might be an accident and an astronaut may die.

[ambrose]

Saturn and beyond--brrrrr! But it's warmer where Spirit is than it is in New York right now.

I wonder what the temperature is on Uranus?

[Triple Word Score]

Yes. No more silly missions-for-show. We need to do it like we mean it, and go to stay.

http://www.heinleinsociety.org/index.html

[Triple Word Score]

The average surface temperature of Uranus is -205 º C.

I don't usually get my butt frosted like that...usually I get it flamed. ;-)

[ambrose]

The place we're going to really want to be at down the line is Titan. It is a treasure trove of natural resources.

Then there's Venus. The Soviets managed to land a few probes that sent back some images, but the probes didn't last long in the 800 degree surface temps. I think it may be quite some time where our technology will be advanced enough to do much exploration there.

[ambrose]

The average surface temperature of Uranus is -205 º C.

My understanding is that Uranus is mostly a bunch of gas, so I don't think we'll be landing any probes there any time soon.

[Triple Word Score]

I just finished rereading IMPERIAL EARTH. You're probably right that Titan could be the key to the solar system; Sir Clarke certainly agreed with you.

(Just found out that Ginny Heinlein died a year ago today. Her ashes were scattered to join her husband's at sea. I don't know if Arthur C. Clarke is still with us or not.)