Difference between revisions of "One-Way Human Settlement Projects"
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* Building a permanent Martian settlement is the actual aim to reach. Planning and performing a return mission does not bring us much further to reach this aim and is, therefore, a waste of time. | * Building a permanent Martian settlement is the actual aim to reach. Planning and performing a return mission does not bring us much further to reach this aim and is, therefore, a waste of time. | ||
* The [[costs]] of the preparation of a return vehicle is high. A one-way mission is much cheaper and yields the same technological and scientific results. If the saved effort is spent to build a comfortable long term settlement, the technological and scientific results are much higher. | * The [[costs]] of the preparation of a return vehicle is high. A one-way mission is much cheaper and yields the same technological and scientific results. If the saved effort is spent to build a comfortable long term settlement, the technological and scientific results are much higher. | ||
| − | * The health risk of extended space travel is high. | + | * The health risk of extended space travel is high. It increases the probability for cancer. A one-way trip poses only half the risk of a return mission. Due to the cost of shipping [[radiation]] shielding for a massive space ship, a ship with shielding equivalent to Earth's atmosphere could not be built from Earthly material. It might be built in space from material already in space, such as material on Phobos, Luna, or an asteroid. |
| − | * Bone atrophy is inevitable in space with current medical knowledge. After a return mission of estimated [[Mars-500|520 days]] the astronauts would surely suffer | + | * Bone atrophy is inevitable in space with current medical knowledge unless centrifuged quarters are provided. After a return mission of estimated [[Mars-500|520 days]] the astronauts would surely suffer much from the strong terrestrial [[gravity]]. A one-way trip takes less than 250 days. The longest space trip up to now was 439 days by Waleri Poljakow. |
| − | + | ||
==Possible scenarios== | ==Possible scenarios== | ||
===[[Mission with planned death]]=== | ===[[Mission with planned death]]=== | ||
| − | The crew is brought to Mars with a certain amount of supplies ([[food]], [[oxygen]], etc.) that lasts, let's say, a year. When they run out of supplies they die and the mission is over. There are plenty of [[volunteer]]s for such a mission, for it | + | The crew is brought to Mars with a certain amount of supplies ([[food]], [[oxygen]], etc.) that lasts, let's say, a year. When they run out of supplies they die and the mission is over. There are plenty of [[volunteer]]s for such a mission, for some people consider it an honor worth dying for to be the first on Mars. No government will finance such a mission because governments do not consider it an honor to send people needlessly to their deaths. |
===Foundation of an [[Earth-supported colony]]=== | ===Foundation of an [[Earth-supported colony]]=== | ||
Revision as of 19:27, 22 November 2010
Instead of bringing a crew to Mars and getting them back after several months, a manned one-way mission is considered. The crew stays on Mars without any planned return concept.
Contents
Why do a manned one-way mission?
- Building a permanent Martian settlement is the actual aim to reach. Planning and performing a return mission does not bring us much further to reach this aim and is, therefore, a waste of time.
- The costs of the preparation of a return vehicle is high. A one-way mission is much cheaper and yields the same technological and scientific results. If the saved effort is spent to build a comfortable long term settlement, the technological and scientific results are much higher.
- The health risk of extended space travel is high. It increases the probability for cancer. A one-way trip poses only half the risk of a return mission. Due to the cost of shipping radiation shielding for a massive space ship, a ship with shielding equivalent to Earth's atmosphere could not be built from Earthly material. It might be built in space from material already in space, such as material on Phobos, Luna, or an asteroid.
- Bone atrophy is inevitable in space with current medical knowledge unless centrifuged quarters are provided. After a return mission of estimated 520 days the astronauts would surely suffer much from the strong terrestrial gravity. A one-way trip takes less than 250 days. The longest space trip up to now was 439 days by Waleri Poljakow.
Possible scenarios
Mission with planned death
The crew is brought to Mars with a certain amount of supplies (food, oxygen, etc.) that lasts, let's say, a year. When they run out of supplies they die and the mission is over. There are plenty of volunteers for such a mission, for some people consider it an honor worth dying for to be the first on Mars. No government will finance such a mission because governments do not consider it an honor to send people needlessly to their deaths.
Foundation of an Earth-supported colony
The crew is brought to Mars with a certain amount of supplies (food, oxygen, etc.) that lasts, let's say, a year. Early before they run out of supplies they receive replenishment from earth. A constant logistic maintains the colony indefinitely.
Foundation of an autonomous colony
People are brought to Mars not before a basic artificial habitat with houses, supplies and equipment for a long term stay has been deposited on Mars' surface. The equipment is technologically sufficient to allow the settlers to grow their own food, extend their settlement etc.
See Also
| Concepts: | Greenhouse · Settlements · Locations · General |
| Hazards: | Space Weather · Climate · General |
| Technology: | Hi-Tech · Lo-Tech · Energy · Spaceflight science · Communication · General |
| Human Considerations: | Economics · Health · Governance · Trade · Law · Social |
