NASA outlines three-phase plan to send astronauts to Mars

[Shawn Knight]

NASA has published a three-phase plan that outlines the steps necessary to send astronauts to Mars.

The first step in the journey to Mars, Earth Reliant, is already taking place aboard the International Space Station. There, scientists are studying how the human body reacts to space, developing 3D printing methods, testing material flammability, advancing communications systems and more.

In the Proving Ground stage, NASA aims to conduct operations in a deep space (cislunar) environment that would allow crews to return to Earth in just a few days. This step involves the EM-1 exploration mission in 2018 and the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission in 2020 in which astronauts will grab a large bolder from an asteroid and bring it back to the Proving Ground for further study.

The final phase, Earth Independence, builds on the previous two stages to enable human missions to the Mars vicinity including its moons and eventually, the Martian surface. The goal here is to be able to harvest resources from Mars to create fuel, water, oxygen and building materials to sustain life. NASA also wants to install a communications system that would relay data and results from science experiments back to Earth with a minimum 20-minute delay.

The goals are no doubt ambitious but if anybody can pull it off, it’s NASA.

The full 32-page document, titled “NASA’s Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration,” can be found by clicking here.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/62384-nasa-outlines-three-phase-plan-send-astronauts-mars.html

 

[EClyde]

I wouldn't go

 

[noel24]

I wouldn't go

Matt Daaaamon will go.

 

[cliffordcooley]

They can't get a grip on take off and landings on Earth, much less sustaining life on a space station. Why in hell are they planing space journeys? What *****s! Actually they are cowards temping fate with anyone's life but their own.

 

[thorpj]

They can't get a grip on take off and landings on Earth, much less sustaining life on a space station. Why in hell are they planing space journeys? What *****s! Actually they are cowards temping fate with anyone's life but their own.

Don't you talk about Matt Damon like that!

 

[cliffordcooley]

OK, I'm not! At least not until he refuses to leave.

 

[VitalyT]

The biggest problem with getting to Mars is that it is a non-profit frontier. It will be a great mark to make, but with benefit of little to none for the kind of problems humans and heading towards - global warming, over-population, resources depletion.

I can understand, for example, the great expense made for the big hadron collider, but even that thing seems a lot more down to earth an endeavour than the travel to Mars, which in itself will cost a lot more, but give almost nothing in return, if anything at all.

It seems that all the craziness about space exploration came to us from the cold war when concurring the space first was a big doctrine pushed by the opposing governments. And I see no good reason for us to continue paying big time for that ill sentiment.

If we can't make good on our home planet, we won't do it elsewhere. There is a good saying - you can't cure a soul simply by carrying the body from one place to another.

 

[Gaara]

How much this will cost the Tax payer? why the always try to find live in other planet when in this planet there is million of people dying of hungry .

 

[VitalyT]

How much this will cost the Tax payer? why the always try to find live in other planet when in this planet there is million of people dying of hungry .

There always are and always will be lots of people dying of hunger. Searching for a solution can take many forms, often unfathomable, but taking on the space for the kind of cost seems a bit irrational.

 

[davislane1]

I wouldn't go

This is the most rational comment in the thread so far.

You, sir, get a cookie.

 

[VitalyT]

I wouldn't go

Matt Daaaamon will go.

And if Matt Damon were to go an extra mile, he would have stumbled upon a very old BBQ pit left there by Chuck Norris since his last visit.

 

[EClyde]

Matt Daaaamon will go.

I hope he does...

 

[EClyde]

The biggest problem with getting to Mars is that it is a non-profit frontier. It will be a great mark to make, but with benefit of little to none for the kind of problems humans and heading towards - global warming, over-population, resources depletion.

I can understand, for example, the great expense made for the big hadron collider, but even that thing seems a lot more down to earth an endeavour than the travel to Mars, which in itself will cost a lot more, but give almost nothing in return, if anything at all.

It seems that all the craziness about space exploration came to us from the cold war when concurring the space first was a big doctrine pushed by the opposing governments. And I see no good reason for us to continue paying big time for that ill sentiment.

If we can't make good on our home planet, we won't do it elsewhere. There is a good saying - you can't cure a soul simply by carrying the body from one place to another.

You have been brainwashed

 

[VitalyT]

If you guys struggle to make more fun about The Martian movie, here's one.

Click on for maximum resolution and notice all the grass bushes on the left

And if you look at it later and suddenly it's all gone, Matt Damon has smoked it all, 'cos he is a kick-a$$ botanist!

 

[VitalyT]

You have been brainwashed

I'm not the one with tubes sticking out from the head.

 

[Milkyjoe]

Be easier just to fake it

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

How much this will cost the Tax payer? why the always try to find live in other planet when in this planet there is million of people dying of hungry .

Because of our inherent inquisitiveness, it's a challenge numerous other reasons. There are always going to be people dying of starvation, disease etc. on this planet. Going to mars ain't gonna change that just like going to war isn't going to ensure world peace.
Hell, I don't understand what I just said there but to put it simply... it's in mankinds DNA to do things like this, cost be damned, the tax payer will simply HAVE to pick up the tab.

 

[BMfan]

I would go and they don't even have too pay me money,just somewhere to sleep and food and I will be happy.
It would be awesome to "hopefully" be one of the 1st humans on Mars,unless Mission to Mars was a documentary.

 

[dividebyzero]

Send Donald Trump now. The guy seems to expel massive amounts of hot air without ever taking a breath. By the time the astronauts get there he could have terraformed the entire planet.

 

[misor]

I wouldn't go

Matt Daaaamon will go.

And if Matt Damon were to go an extra mile, he would have stumbled upon a very old BBQ pit left there by Chuck Norris since his last visit.

I guess there will be more 'aliens vs predator' sequels as 'aliens/predator vs chuck Norris' would result in a no sequel/no prequel one-time hit movie?

 

[Puiu]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[EClyde]

I'm not the one with tubes sticking out from the head.

Those aren't tubes...your funny

 

[Techman3]

The money for this should be spent on stuff that's actually useful, no?

 

[deemon]

The biggest problem with getting to Mars is that it is a non-profit frontier. It will be a great mark to make, but with benefit of little to none for the kind of problems humans and heading towards - global warming, over-population, resources depletion.

au contraire, this will hopefully let select few to escape this inevitable hell on earth and start over from scratch.

 

[deemon]

How much this will cost the Tax payer? why the always try to find live in other planet when in this planet there is million of people dying of hungry .

Good example of darwinism. If you are so lazy that you can't even grow enough veggies to feed yourself, you don't deserve the place in human gene-pool => please die faster. As a bonus feature, this will help also with the overpopulation problem. Sadly not fast enough.