Mars Colony?

[McCoy]

Re: Mars Colony?

 

That would certainly help' date=' and, although no one ever likes to talk about it, would allow the mission to succeed even if one of the ERVs should blow up in transit or crash. Not putting all your eggs in one basket and all that. [/quote']

Real problem, worst case scenario, would be if ERV 1 blew up before ERV 2 launched. You have days or perhaps hours to decide between launching in a rocket with a possible unknown flaw or the almost certainty of starving before you could be resupplied in the next launch window.

 

[edit] Strike that, I remembered that the launch window on the ERV is after the next crewed mission has launched. So any leftovers in the hab, the rations in ERV 2, ad some careful management would allow the rations for six on the mission on the way to be stretched to keep nine alive through to the next launch window, which gives almost two years to figure out what went wrong with ERV 1 before you try to launch. Mars Direct could inadvertently become Mars to Stay, which would not break your heart.

 

The rovers weigh about 4 tons' date=' so this could be launched by a Titan or a Delta if required. Which doesn’t take up valuable super-heavy launcher pad space, making it a viable option. On the other hand, it’s limited how much help adding 4 tons to the hab is going to be if 3.5 of that is required as supplies for the increased crew size. [/quote']

Rovers were presented as an example. Any equipment needed on the surface but not needed in transit, extra rations, extra hydrogen, all can be sent ahead. Along with some remote control probes to check stuff out and make sure it arrived safely.

[dmjalund]

Re: Mars Colony?

 

Tom Lehrer commented on the US "spending twenty billion dollars of your money to put some clown on the Moon"

[RexMundi]

Re: Mars Colony?

 

Heh, funny, but shouldn't that represent more the folks that have been running NASA for the last few, rather then someone doing the actual work?

 

~Rex