Back to Mars

[syrakusos]

SCIENCE NEWS | Fri Mar 3, 2017 | 6:21pm EST

Mars astronaut radiation shield set for moon mission trial: Developer

The vest will protect vital human tissue, particularly stem cells, which could be devastated by solar radiation in deep space or on Mars, whose sparse atmosphere offers no protection, StemRad's CEO Oren Milstein said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-mars-israel-idUSKBN16A0ZJ

I mention this because BaaChatzaf has often asserted that colonizing Mars will be impossible because of the intense radiation, both during the trip and then settled on the planet.  It is a valid concern, of course, but all along, others have pointed out that such problems get solved.  Apparently, this one may be, as well.

 

[BaalChatzaf]

1 hour ago, syrakusos said:

SCIENCE NEWS | Fri Mar 3, 2017 | 6:21pm EST

Mars astronaut radiation shield set for moon mission trial: Developer

The vest will protect vital human tissue, particularly stem cells, which could be devastated by solar radiation in deep space or on Mars, whose sparse atmosphere offers no protection, StemRad's CEO Oren Milstein said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-mars-israel-idUSKBN16A0ZJ

I mention this because BaaChatzaf has often asserted that colonizing Mars will be impossible because of the intense radiation, both during the trip and then settled on the planet.  It is a valid concern, of course, but all along, others have pointed out that such problems get solved.  Apparently, this one may be, as well.

 

If the trip is in zero g,  then even with daily exercise the bones of the astronauts would be calcium deplete 40 percent.  So even if they carry radiation shields they will be physically wrecked by the time they get to Mars  6-9 zero g (even  with exercise)  is debilitating  and another 6 to 9 months return trip will render the astronauts physical wrecks.  With the current technology  a round trip to mars is effectively a suicide mission. 

[jts]

8 hours ago, BaalChatzaf said:

If the trip is in zero g,  then even with daily exercise the bones of the astronauts would be calcium deplete 40 percent.  So even if they carry radiation shields they will be physically wrecked by the time they get to Mars  6-9 zero g (even  with exercise)  is debilitating  and another 6 to 9 months return trip will render the astronauts physical wrecks.  With the current technology  a round trip to mars is effectively a suicide mission. 

Maybe they could solve that problem by putting a spin on it. Centripetal force as a substitute for gravity.

But even if their bones survive the journey, Mars has only one third earth gravity and their bones probably will weaken on Mars unless they live in spinning houses.

 

[Brant Gaede]

Anyone who's watched Star Wars and Star Trek knows science is irrelevant when it comes to space travel and colonization of other worlds.

--Brant

so blast off--it's the irrational thing to do!

[BaalChatzaf]

7 hours ago, jts said:

Maybe they could solve that problem by putting a spin on it. Centripetal force as a substitute for gravity.

But even if their bones survive the journey, Mars has only one third earth gravity and their bones probably will weaken on Mars unless they live in spinning houses.

 

Having a ship with a cetrifugal force section would be an adequate substitute for gravitation.  With current propulsion technology that would be far out of reach.  The issue is well within our physics capability,  but far outside our technological envelope.  We really have to develop ion drive technology to do any reasonable manner exploration of the outer solar system.   

Chemical rocket propulsion is at the same level of principle as the Tang Dynasty rockets developed in China 600 years ago.  Our most powerful rocket so far has been the Apollo Project rockets which have carried men to moon and back.  

Given our current technological limitations,  further exploration and occupation of the moon makes more sense than going to Mars. If we ever get close to hydrogen fusion technology harvesting He3  from the moon would make a great deal of sense.  Also using the lunar Farside for placing telescopes of various frequency bands  would be a major boost to Astonomy and Cosmology.  The seeing from the lunar Farside  for two weeks of each month wold be w.o. parallel and solar observation from the Farside  would be much better than any earth based solar telescopes we currently have.