[QUOTE="blackacidevil96"]
[QUOTE="sSubZerOo"]
We do not have the technology.. Looking past the immense amount of resources that will be consumed to even get there due to food and water for 200 days.. The crew can not make the journey back once they get there.. The reason being Mars and Earth are on different orbital times.. They will have to wait for another year at least to havea feasible distance to get back.. We would have to develope a completely independent expediention.. The distance alone is already a immense problem, add in the fact a crew has to be completely independent and can not just turn around if alittle problem occurs.
sSubZerOo
it is ENTIRELY budget reasons. we could get it done within 15 years with proper funding. we DO have the technology. I would infact consider my self a credible source on these matters.
Ok please point them out.. Because A) Vaste distance that will stretch the fuel significantly.. B) 200 days at least in which a crew of some number will be eating, drinking and using resources.. This is before they even get to the planet.. C) Landing on a planet that has never been done before in a man made object.. Have to take into account that a dust storm may completely prevent their window of ever returning.. Leading them to starving to death... D) They have to wait well over a year for Mars and the Earth are nearest again to make the voyage back... Leading to another 200 days at least.. E) Absolutely NO chance of aborting the mission, once your on it there is no turning back.. This is completely unlike our Lunar landings..
There are numerous other problems that can occur from this.. There is no way in hell we will get there in 15 years time.. I have not ever seen a estimate of that.. The only estimate I have seen is 2050 and I find that doubtful.
A) the total delta V required to get from earth to mars and back is under 10km/s. this corresponds to around 1 million lbs of propellant. this can be done in several launches. that is assuming we bring all fuel with us. when we could infact synthesize fuel on the martian surface in the form of methane. methane engines have a similar efficiency to current kerosene engines which are commonplace. we have engines that are physically capable of making the inspace transfer. the J-2X in development would do it. even the RL10-B2s could complete the objected in the traditional apporach using the solution of lamberts problem as the nominal trajectory. though as somone said earlier. advanced propulsion systems in development could complete the journey in under 3 months. mars missions also have a 30 day window of direct return abort capabilities. fuel is no problem would be the short answer.
B) food and water for 200 days isnt tough. like at all.... especially if we can pull water from the martian surface. give me a couple hours ill tell you how much is needed for a 180 day mission. my senior design project is a manned mission to a NEO with a maximum mission durration of 180 days. so one of my group members has that calculated somewhere.
C) we land objects on mars quite often. yes its dangerous. but nothing in space travel isnt. the main issue being deploying a chute at supersonic speeds. though we know how to design for this. and we have done it. we can land stuff on the planet. it would just be done in pieces.
D) send the food and water ahead of time on an un manned mission. problem solved.
E) as i said earlier there is a 30 day free return window.
current estimates are based on funding available. if we have the proper funding it can be done in less.
I graduate in 1 month with a BS in Aerospace engineering. my focus is in in space propulsion but i also take graduate level courses in statisitcal orbit determination. my senior design project as also been accepted into a NASA design competition in june. Ive also worked internships with NASA.....designing rockets for them. im well aware of their capabilites. not to mention this would more than likley be an international effort.
any questions? this is all top of my head stuff. if you want more accurate numbers i can get them no problem.
Log in to comment