Russian plan to put men on Mars 'by 2009'

Telegraph ^ | 10/04/2004 | Tom Parfitt

[Eurotwit]

Russian scientists yesterday announced an ambitious project to send a manned mission to Mars by 2009.

If realised, it could trump Nasa's bid to put men on the Red Planet - announced by President George W Bush this year - by more than a decade.

Managers from Aviacosmicheskie Sistemy, an aerospace company based in Moscow, said their objective could be achieved using existing technology for no more than £2.7 billion, about a fifth of Nasa's projected costs.

The company plans to set up a space station beyond the Moon as a staging post for a three-year manned flight to Mars.

Six astronauts will make the trip in a low-budget craft based on a Russian Zvezda module carrying a 70-ton landing unit and a rover.

"This will be a pioneering flight," said Georgiy Uspensky, a member of the team.

"It is a very attractive and realistic idea."

Viktor Ivanov, a colleague, said the project could "solve the problem of national prestige".

An official from the Russian space agency, Rosaviakosmos, said the project had little chance of success on such a low budget, but the scientists said they were confident of securing private funding.

[Eurotwit]

How the world has changed... A daring enterpreneurial PRIVATE space initiative...

from the Russians.

[Drango]

I nominate Ted Kennedy to go...

[hjr_phoenix]

LOL, I second that.

[cheme]

I thier wet dreams

[Izzy Dunne]

So do they want them back?

[Young Rhino]

I nominate Ted Kennedy to go...

The pickled planetoid is too heavy to leave earth's orbit.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Hope they get better equipment than their submarines.

[TopQuark]

the project could "solve the problem of national prestige".

Ah... the Russians...

You can take a Russian out of socialism but you cannot take the inferiority complex out of him.

[tet68]

The Race for Mars is on!

[RightWhale]

Private funding! They would become famous, and possibly rich, too. They don't have to actually land on Mars, just fly by, maybe drop into orbit if they have enough fuel, and then head back. Russians could do this, they have the pioneering spirit.

[TheLion]

"Six astronauts will make the trip in a low-budget craft."

Betcha it's a one way trip. I'm sure they will find some suckers to go, no matter what.

[KevinDavis]

More power to them...

[FreedomCalls]

Betcha it's a one way trip.

So what's wrong with a one-way trip in pursuit of exploration? Magellan made a one-way trip to the South Pacific (though some of his crew made it home). Scott made a one-way trip to the South Pole. George Mallory made a one-way trip up Mt Everest. The history of daring explorations is filled with one-way trips.

[KevinDavis]

While we Americans seem to be losing the pioneering spirit.

[davisfh]

"Six astronauts will make the trip in a low-budget craft based on a Russian Zvezda module carrying a 70-ton landing unit and a rover."

I see this as a recipe for disaster. In my opinion, a mission to Mars will take many years. Materiel will have to be deposited on the planet over a period of several years (habitat material, food, water, medical supplies and everything essential to life) and it will be necessary to verify that the materiel has arrived in usuable condition. I don't see this as a mission wherein a few astronauts will be launched to Mars and retrieved a few months later. Their survivability needs to be reasonably assured. Otherwise, we need to launch a few Muslims. They appear to me to be suicidal and would probably be happy to undertake this mission as long as Allah approves.

[Viking2002]

And China's gunning for the moon, too.

'He who controls the high ground.......'

[tet68]

One has only to say the words, "Mars was once Islamic." to
see them go for it.

[TheLion]

"So what's wrong with a one-way trip in pursuit of exploration?"

Absolutely nothing is wrong with it.....I think you missed my meager stab at a little humor.

[Viking2002]

Granted, Mars resembles a good portion of the Middle East, terrain-wise, but sending heathens is a bad isea. We're liable to land there a few years later, and be greeted by hostile Martians wearing suicide belts. LOL

[Brett66]

Every few months, these "Russian scientists" make a bold proclamation about how they're going to Mars. If it didn't cost any money, I'm sure they would.