Science Scientists propose one-way trips to Mars - Page 5

**Lzen** · 11-15-2010, 03:07 PM

NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press

PULLMAN, Wash. — It's always cheaper to fly one way, even to Mars. Two scientists are suggesting that colonization of the red planet could happen faster and more economically if astronauts behaved like the first settlers to come to North America — not expecting to go home.

"The main point is to get Mars exploration moving," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a Washington State University professor who co-authored an article that seriously proposes what sounds like a preposterous idea.
At least one moon-walking astronaut was not impressed.

"This is premature," Ed Mitchell of Apollo 14 wrote in an e-mail. "We aren't ready for this yet."

Also cool to the idea was NASA. President Barack Obama has already outlined a plan to go to Mars by the mid-2030s. But he never suggested these space travelers wouldn't come home.

"We want our people back," NASA spokesman Michael Braukus said.
The article titled "To Boldly Go" appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Cosmology, which featured more than 50 articles and essays on Mars exploration.

Schulze-Makuch and Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University, argue that humans must begin colonizing another planet as a hedge against a catastrophe on Earth. They believe the one-way trips could start in two decades.

"You would send a little bit older folks, around 60 or something like that," Schulze-Makuch said, bringing to mind the aging heroes who saved the day in the movie "Space Cowboys."

That's because the mission would undoubtedly reduce a person's lifespan, from a lack of medical care and exposure to radiation. Radiation could also damage reproductive organs, so sending people of childbearing age is not a good idea, Schulze-Makuch said.

Mars is a six-month flight away, possesses surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water, carbon dioxide and essential minerals. The two scientists propose the missions begin with two two-person teams, in separate ships that would serve as living quarters on the planet. More colonists and regular supply ships would follow.

The technology already exists, or is within easy reach, they wrote. By not taking the extra fuel and provisions necessary for a return trip to Earth, the mission could cut costs by 80 percent.

Davies and Schulze-Makuch say it's important to realize they're not proposing a "suicide mission."

"The astronauts would go to Mars with the intention of staying for the rest of their lives, as trailblazers of a permanent human Mars colony," they wrote.

They acknowledge the proposal is a tough sell for NASA, with its focus on safety, and suggest the private sector might be more fertile ground.
"What we would need is an eccentric billionaire," Schulze-Makuch said. "There are people who have the money to put this into reality."

Indeed, British tycoon Richard Branson, PayPal founder Elon Musk and Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos are among the rich who are already involved in private space ventures.

Isolated humans in space have long been a staple of science fiction movies, from "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" to a flurry of recent movies such as "Solaris" and "Moon." In many of the plots, lonely astronauts fall victim to computers, madness or aliens.
Psychological profiling and training of the astronauts, plus constant communication with Earth, would reduce debilitating mental strains, the two scientists said.

"They would in fact feel more connected to home than the early Antarctic explorers," they write in their article.

The mental health of humans in space has been extensively studied. Depression can set in, people become irritated with each other, and sleep can be disrupted, studies have found. The knowledge that there is no quick return to Earth would likely make that worse.

Davies' research focuses on cosmology, quantum field theory and astrobiology. He was an early proponent of the theory that life on Earth may have come from Mars in rocks ejected by asteroid and comet impacts.
Schulze-Makuch is the author of two books about life on other planets. His focus is eco-hydrogeology, which includes the study of water on planets and moons of our solar system and how those could serve as a potential habitat for microbial life.

Both men contend that Mars has abundant resources to help the colonists become self-sufficient over time. They write that the colony should be next to a large ice cave, to provide shelter from radiation, plus water and oxygen.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm from NASA, Schulze-Makuch believes many people would be willing to make the sacrifice.
He and Davies believe a Mars base would offer humanity a "lifeboat" if Earth became uninhabitable.

"We are on a vulnerable planet," Schulze-Makuch said. "Asteroid impact can threaten us, or a supernova explosion. If we want to survive as a species, we have to expand into the solar system and likely beyond."
———
Online:
http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars108.html

**Donger** · 11-17-2010, 02:18 PM

Uh, what would they eat?

JD10367 · 11-17-2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pedestrian

Put up a flyer for anything and you'll have plenty of volunteers...especially if it's for something that satisfies the tiny--or large--narcissistic person in all of us.

This.

Quote:

And yeah, being one of the first people on Mars is perfect for that regardless of how realistic or irrational the idea is of believing anyone will remember.

Not this. Are you kidding? You'd go down in history. There are very few names in mankind's history who can say "I was first". Christopher Columbus. Sir Edmund Hillary. Neil Armstrong. Whoever banged Madonna and took her cherry. Point is, there's only one "first". The first few people to head off to Mars will never be forgotten. Most of us--hell, almost all of us--will live out our lives in a small world of Nietzsche-like anonymity. There will be plenty of people willing to trade that for a place in history. Hell, I would in a heartbeat: I'm over 40 (and thus on the actuarial downslope of life), and have no kids. As long as there's a PS3 on board and a good catalog of DVDs (both Hollywood and pr0n), I'm good.

Norman Einstein · 11-17-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Uh, what would they eat?

Freeze dried compressed Soylent Green.

**Donger** · 11-17-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman Einstein

Freeze dried compressed Soylent Green.

Well, unless they are going to be re-supplied, they'd have to become self-sufficient.

Norman Einstein · 11-17-2010, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Well, unless they are going to be re-supplied, they'd have to become self-sufficient.

maybe they will just take Loooooonnnnnnnggggggg naps, as in suspended animaiton? Isn't that the way they did it in "Lost in Space"?

It could be a ploy to depopulate certain portions of the globe. Tell them all they need is on the rocket and by the time they find out they are out of food they will be too far away for a return trip!?

**Lzen** · 11-17-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Uh, what would they eat?

.

Quote:

Once the humans arrived at the base, their task would be not unlike that of the early settlers in North America – only the underlying technology and utilized tools would be much more sophisticated. Plants could be grown outside of the caves in an enriched soil underneath a robotically constructed dome, thus providing the inhabitants of the outpost with food and an additional supply of oxygen.

ForeverChiefs58 · 11-17-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman Einstein

In all actuality it's a picture of the standard Cassel hater when he passes for a TD.

I think more like this when he passes for a TD

**Donger** · 11-17-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lzen

.

Thanks. I wonder how much soil they would need to take?

Slayer Diablo · 11-17-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD10367

This.

Not this. Are you kidding? You'd go down in history. There are very few names in mankind's history who can say "I was first". Christopher Columbus. Sir Edmund Hillary. Neil Armstrong. Whoever banged Madonna and took her cherry. Point is, there's only one "first". The first few people to head off to Mars will never be forgotten. Most of us--hell, almost all of us--will live out our lives in a small world of Nietzsche-like anonymity. There will be plenty of people willing to trade that for a place in history. Hell, I would in a heartbeat: I'm over 40 (and thus on the actuarial downslope of life), and have no kids. As long as there's a PS3 on board and a good catalog of DVDs (both Hollywood and pr0n), I'm good.

How many people can you name from the Santa Maria, Nina, and Pinta? And while we all remember Neil Armstrong--and sometimes Buzz Aldrin--who were the other guys on that trip? Who was the second Chilean miner to get lifted out of the shaft? Third? Fourth?
The people who are remembered after these events are the leaders, first off the ship, or returners...mainly because history is written by the winners, and winners include themselves and their closest friends--not everybody involved.

**Rain Man** · 11-17-2010, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForeverChiefs58

They need to get like 20 beautiful model athletes and 1 guy, ok he can bring 1 best friend. Include beer, Direct TV NFL Sunday ticket and internet for all new chiefsplanets message board, with the biggest server in all of the universe. Guys can rule Mars, screw who they want and still all get together on Sunday to cheer on the earthly Chiefs. Partying like rockstars while breeding to get the most athletic, intergalactic QB in the universe to play for the Chiefs.

That's not Mars. That's heaven.

Al Bundy · 11-21-2010, 08:46 AM

Off subject, but I would be up for sending the Westboro Baptist church on the first "Sun exploration" trip.

Uncle_Ted · 11-21-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pedestrian

How many people can you name from the Santa Maria, Nina, and Pinta? And while we all remember Neil Armstrong--and sometimes Buzz Aldrin--who were the other guys on that trip? Who was the second Chilean miner to get lifted out of the shaft? Third? Fourth?
The people who are remembered after these events are the leaders, first off the ship, or returners...mainly because history is written by the winners, and winners include themselves and their closest friends--not everybody involved.

Michael Collins (who remained in orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon). Won me a free beer at a local bar's trivia night.

11-15-2010, 03:07 PM
Lzen Supporter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Jan Quadrant Vincent 16 Casino cash: $1860692	Scientists propose one-way trips to Mars NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press PULLMAN, Wash. — It's always cheaper to fly one way, even to Mars. Two scientists are suggesting that colonization of the red planet could happen faster and more economically if astronauts behaved like the first settlers to come to North America — not expecting to go home. "The main point is to get Mars exploration moving," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a Washington State University professor who co-authored an article that seriously proposes what sounds like a preposterous idea. At least one moon-walking astronaut was not impressed. "This is premature," Ed Mitchell of Apollo 14 wrote in an e-mail. "We aren't ready for this yet." Also cool to the idea was NASA. President Barack Obama has already outlined a plan to go to Mars by the mid-2030s. But he never suggested these space travelers wouldn't come home. "We want our people back," NASA spokesman Michael Braukus said. The article titled "To Boldly Go" appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Cosmology, which featured more than 50 articles and essays on Mars exploration. Schulze-Makuch and Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University, argue that humans must begin colonizing another planet as a hedge against a catastrophe on Earth. They believe the one-way trips could start in two decades. "You would send a little bit older folks, around 60 or something like that," Schulze-Makuch said, bringing to mind the aging heroes who saved the day in the movie "Space Cowboys." That's because the mission would undoubtedly reduce a person's lifespan, from a lack of medical care and exposure to radiation. Radiation could also damage reproductive organs, so sending people of childbearing age is not a good idea, Schulze-Makuch said. Mars is a six-month flight away, possesses surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water, carbon dioxide and essential minerals. The two scientists propose the missions begin with two two-person teams, in separate ships that would serve as living quarters on the planet. More colonists and regular supply ships would follow. The technology already exists, or is within easy reach, they wrote. By not taking the extra fuel and provisions necessary for a return trip to Earth, the mission could cut costs by 80 percent. Davies and Schulze-Makuch say it's important to realize they're not proposing a "suicide mission." "The astronauts would go to Mars with the intention of staying for the rest of their lives, as trailblazers of a permanent human Mars colony," they wrote. They acknowledge the proposal is a tough sell for NASA, with its focus on safety, and suggest the private sector might be more fertile ground. "What we would need is an eccentric billionaire," Schulze-Makuch said. "There are people who have the money to put this into reality." Indeed, British tycoon Richard Branson, PayPal founder Elon Musk and Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos are among the rich who are already involved in private space ventures. Isolated humans in space have long been a staple of science fiction movies, from "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" to a flurry of recent movies such as "Solaris" and "Moon." In many of the plots, lonely astronauts fall victim to computers, madness or aliens. Psychological profiling and training of the astronauts, plus constant communication with Earth, would reduce debilitating mental strains, the two scientists said. "They would in fact feel more connected to home than the early Antarctic explorers," they write in their article. The mental health of humans in space has been extensively studied. Depression can set in, people become irritated with each other, and sleep can be disrupted, studies have found. The knowledge that there is no quick return to Earth would likely make that worse. Davies' research focuses on cosmology, quantum field theory and astrobiology. He was an early proponent of the theory that life on Earth may have come from Mars in rocks ejected by asteroid and comet impacts. Schulze-Makuch is the author of two books about life on other planets. His focus is eco-hydrogeology, which includes the study of water on planets and moons of our solar system and how those could serve as a potential habitat for microbial life. Both men contend that Mars has abundant resources to help the colonists become self-sufficient over time. They write that the colony should be next to a large ice cave, to provide shelter from radiation, plus water and oxygen. Despite the lack of enthusiasm from NASA, Schulze-Makuch believes many people would be willing to make the sacrifice. He and Davies believe a Mars base would offer humanity a "lifeboat" if Earth became uninhabitable. "We are on a vulnerable planet," Schulze-Makuch said. "Asteroid impact can threaten us, or a supernova explosion. If we want to survive as a species, we have to expand into the solar system and likely beyond." ——— Online: http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars108.html Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posts: 41,497

11-17-2010, 02:18 PM	#61
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9819900 VARSITY	Uh, what would they eat? __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 182,456

11-21-2010, 08:46 AM	#71
Al Bundy Damnit Peg Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $5101831	Off subject, but I would be up for sending the Westboro Baptist church on the first "Sun exploration" trip.
Posts: 23,367