Comments on: Time to Head for Mars? http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:45:49 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nikola http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-95592 Nikola Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:43:57 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-95592 In the early seventies in one of the Moon misions an astronaut that was walking about on the moon's surface shouted ¡Water!¡Water!.I remember that because it was clearly heard through the familiar radios set. Never more afterwars neither NASA nor the media said anything about that important fact. I sent a mail to NASA's site inquiring about that event but they didn't clear the case at all. In the early seventies in one of the Moon misions an astronaut that was walking about on the moon’s surface shouted ¡Water!¡Water!.I remember that because it was clearly heard through the familiar radios set. Never more afterwars neither NASA nor the media said anything about that important fact. I sent a mail to NASA’s site inquiring about that event but they didn’t clear the case at all.

]]> By: Pajamas Media » The Biggest ‘Non-Discovery’ On Mars in History http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-85963 Pajamas Media » The Biggest ‘Non-Discovery’ On Mars in History Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:49:39 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-85963 [...] they did that would be the biggest find in the history of space science to date). And as I’ve noted previously, prospective Martians currently living on earth should hope that they don’t, lest the planet [...] [...] they did that would be the biggest find in the history of space science to date). And as I’ve noted previously, prospective Martians currently living on earth should hope that they don’t, lest the planet [...]

]]> By: Fat Jolly Penguin http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-49693 Fat Jolly Penguin Fri, 30 May 2008 14:45:06 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-49693 <em>"Clarification requested. Isn’t the magnetic field of Mars so weak that a stay of just a few days would be dangerous?</em> Mars doesn't have a magnetic field, but differing patterns of magnetic rock in its soil have shown that it did at one point. The solution to this is to develop some form of shielding system to protect the explorers; even what was used on the lunar missions wouldn't be strong enough, since it didn't entirely protect those astronauts from solar radiation. <em>Mars sounds great………..for liberals. It’s dark, cold, and desolate - just how they want the rest of us to be.</em> Ooh, you are evil. I like! “Clarification requested. Isn’t the magnetic field of Mars so weak that a stay of just a few days would be dangerous?

Mars doesn’t have a magnetic field, but differing patterns of magnetic rock in its soil have shown that it did at one point. The solution to this is to develop some form of shielding system to protect the explorers; even what was used on the lunar missions wouldn’t be strong enough, since it didn’t entirely protect those astronauts from solar radiation.

Mars sounds great………..for liberals. It’s dark, cold, and desolate – just how they want the rest of us to be.

Ooh, you are evil. I like!

]]> By: chefgodzilla http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-49653 chefgodzilla Fri, 30 May 2008 13:46:33 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-49653 Mars sounds great...........for liberals. It's dark, cold, and desolate - just how they want the rest of us to be. Mars sounds great………..for liberals. It’s dark, cold, and desolate – just how they want the rest of us to be.

]]> By: DWMF http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-48659 DWMF Thu, 29 May 2008 11:17:27 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-48659 IcePilot said: <i>Ask yourself this question - What will be produced on Mars and sold for a profit on Earth?</i> OK. Not specifically Mars - but mining metals in the asteroid belt. A station on the North Pole of Mars would be a good base of operations - or maybe a space station in Mars orbit. I fancy a series of probes exploring the asteroid belt, called Prospector. :) IcePilot said: Ask yourself this question – What will be produced on Mars and sold for a profit on Earth?

OK. Not specifically Mars – but mining metals in the asteroid belt. A station on the North Pole of Mars would be a good base of operations – or maybe a space station in Mars orbit.

I fancy a series of probes exploring the asteroid belt, called Prospector. :)

]]> By: IcePilot http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-48441 IcePilot Thu, 29 May 2008 03:47:39 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-48441 For info on how to get off this planet: http://www.permanent.com/index.htm. Also, the book "Moonrush, Improving Life on Earth w/the Moon's Resources", by Dennis Wingo, lays out how to get back to the Moon (in a permanent way) for less than 5 billion dollars - a tenth of what it will cost NASA. For info on how to get off this planet: http://www.permanent.com/index.htm.
Also, the book “Moonrush, Improving Life on Earth w/the Moon’s Resources”, by Dennis Wingo, lays out how to get back to the Moon (in a permanent way) for less than 5 billion dollars – a tenth of what it will cost NASA.

]]> By: IcePilot http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-48430 IcePilot Thu, 29 May 2008 03:33:08 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-48430 Mars is the ultimate dead end. The human race isn't getting into space until someone figures out how to make a buck up there (other than communications satellites). Ask yourself this question - What will be produced on Mars and sold for a profit on Earth? We need to get away from the idea that we need to go to a PLACE, like Mars or the Moon, and understand that once you get into space, you are there! Unlimited, free solar energy, 24 hrs a day; unlimited resources in the earth-crossing asteroids and no gravity (90% of the Golden Gate bridge serves no purpose other than to counteract gravity). We can build structures, factories and whole industries that will turn our 3 trillion dollar economy into a 30 or 300 trillion dollar economy. That's what it will take to convert third-world countries into efficient, 21st century societies. Read G.K. O'Neill on solar power satellites and J.S. Lewis on "Mining the Sky". To get a pound into high Earth orbit (delta-v = 10 km/s) costs NASA $10K. Starting from there, the round trip delta-v to: Mars=10.5 km/s, Moon=4.7 km/s, asteroid 1982DB=0.12 km/s. Do the math. Although I will concede that the Helium-3 on the Moon is worth going after. It's the perfect fusion fuel. Mars is the ultimate dead end. The human race isn’t getting into space until someone figures out how to make a buck up there (other than communications satellites). Ask yourself this question – What will be produced on Mars and sold for a profit on Earth? We need to get away from the idea that we need to go to a PLACE, like Mars or the Moon, and understand that once you get into space, you are there! Unlimited, free solar energy, 24 hrs a day; unlimited resources in the earth-crossing asteroids and no gravity (90% of the Golden Gate bridge serves no purpose other than to counteract gravity). We can build structures, factories and whole industries that will turn our 3 trillion dollar economy into a 30 or 300 trillion dollar economy. That’s what it will take to convert third-world countries into efficient, 21st century societies. Read G.K. O’Neill on solar power satellites and J.S. Lewis on “Mining the Sky”. To get a pound into high Earth orbit (delta-v = 10 km/s) costs NASA $10K. Starting from there, the round trip delta-v to: Mars=10.5 km/s, Moon=4.7 km/s, asteroid 1982DB=0.12 km/s.

Do the math.

Although I will concede that the Helium-3 on the Moon is worth going after. It’s the perfect fusion fuel.

]]> By: Benson http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-47864 Benson Wed, 28 May 2008 11:05:27 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-47864 Boy, it IS time for me to shut up!! There is so much here that makes no sense to me at all.... Never mind what offends and confuses me about these explanations; assuming I'm an average college graduate, I'd say this suggests that the education of the average person is dismally deficient in basic science, eh? That can't be good. My ignorance is not just something I'm ashamed of -- it concerns me that many others may be just as clueless as I am (but don't feel comfortable admitting it)! Boy, it IS time for me to shut up!! There is so much here that makes no sense to me at all…. Never mind what offends and confuses me about these explanations; assuming I’m an average college graduate, I’d say this suggests that the education of the average person is dismally deficient in basic science, eh? That can’t be good. My ignorance is not just something I’m ashamed of — it concerns me that many others may be just as clueless as I am (but don’t feel comfortable admitting it)!

]]> By: Rand Simberg http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-47464 Rand Simberg Tue, 27 May 2008 21:00:20 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-47464 Sorry for the confusion. I was simply trying to convey how fast the probe was approaching (which is Mars escape velocity, for the reasons that Joe states). Technically, of course, it was only escape *speed* (scalar), not escape velocity (which is a vector), because escape velocity would require a vector pointing in some direction that didn't impact the planet or its atmosphere... Sorry for the confusion. I was simply trying to convey how fast the probe was approaching (which is Mars escape velocity, for the reasons that Joe states). Technically, of course, it was only escape *speed* (scalar), not escape velocity (which is a vector), because escape velocity would require a vector pointing in some direction that didn’t impact the planet or its atmosphere…

]]> By: Joe http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/comment-page-1/#comment-47344 Joe Tue, 27 May 2008 17:53:27 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/time-to-head-for-mars/#comment-47344 Brenson, what goes up must come down. And it comes down just as fast as it went up. It works the same way even if the object never went up first. A object falling from a long distance is going the same speed down as it would have to be going in the opposite direction to get up. The the phrase escape velocity tell you how fast you will be going when approaching a planetary body from a great distance. Now it is possible to approach a planetary body at a speed greater than escape velocity, how because it is so difficult to make a object to go at great velocities, with rockets. It isn't going to be happening in any normal planetary probe encounter. Brenson, what goes up must come down. And it comes down just as fast as it went up. It works the same way even if the object never went up first.
A object falling from a long distance is going the same speed down as it would have to be going in the opposite direction to get up. The the phrase escape velocity tell you how fast you will be going when approaching a planetary body from a great distance.

Now it is possible to approach a planetary body at a speed greater than escape velocity, how because it is so difficult to make a object to go at great velocities, with rockets. It isn’t going to be happening in any normal planetary probe encounter.

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