Logistical problems on the Logistical problems on the journey to the Red Planetjourney to the Red Planet

First (firm) stepsFirst (firm) steps President BushPresident Bush

• January, 2004. Promised that America January, 2004. Promised that America will take steps toward a human mission will take steps toward a human mission to Mars.to Mars.

NASA estimates put the cost NASA estimates put the cost anywhere between 50 – 400 billionanywhere between 50 – 400 billion

Great UndertakingGreat Undertaking It will be our greatest scientific / It will be our greatest scientific /

engineering undertaking everengineering undertaking ever

There will be casualtiesThere will be casualties

No ship can make it right nowNo ship can make it right now• Especially Especially fromfrom Mars Mars

Distance problemsDistance problems

1500 – 2000x farther away than the Moon

Short hop vs.Long stay

18 months onsurface

Packin’ on the pounds!Packin’ on the pounds! All the “stuff” needed All the “stuff” needed

weighs more than the weighs more than the ISSISS

11,000 L11,000 L H2O H2O 20 metric tons20 metric tons

dehydrated fooddehydrated food 520,000 kilo.520,000 kilo. of of

suppliessupplies

Uh, Rockets?Uh, Rockets? No single rocket can get all our junk there.No single rocket can get all our junk there.

We’ll need to use Ares rockets to get it into We’ll need to use Ares rockets to get it into LEO, perhaps 10 or more.LEO, perhaps 10 or more.

Ares V can put 290,000Lbs. into LEO

1,200,000 kilos solid fuelto get off the pad

Baby StepsBaby Steps Assemble rocket (Orion) in LEO…Assemble rocket (Orion) in LEO…

Then go to Moon by 2025 and build a Then go to Moon by 2025 and build a permanent settlement for training.permanent settlement for training.

““You mean this sucker is nuclear?”You mean this sucker is nuclear?”

Mars rocket will almost have Mars rocket will almost have to be nuclear.to be nuclear. • 12 months travel time12 months travel time• Chemical is too heavy / lb of thrustChemical is too heavy / lb of thrust

““I gotta’ get outta’ this place!”I gotta’ get outta’ this place!” Greatest risk of long Greatest risk of long

distance travel is cabin distance travel is cabin feverfever• Lots of stuff still happens on Lots of stuff still happens on

EarthEarth• Fights with cabin matesFights with cabin mates• Capsule size of small Capsule size of small

apartmentapartment• ExerciseExercise• BoredomBoredom• SexSex• Scientific ExperimentsScientific Experiments• Periods of intense activityPeriods of intense activity

““I gotta’ get outta’ this place!”I gotta’ get outta’ this place!” Jerry Linenger Jerry Linenger

(Born in (Born in Eastpointe, Mi!) Eastpointe, Mi!) spent 5 months spent 5 months aboard MIRaboard MIR• Lost 65% of Lost 65% of

strengthstrength• Lost 13-14% of Lost 13-14% of

bone mass in bone mass in strength bearing strength bearing areasareas

Finally!Finally! After dangerous landing, After dangerous landing,

crews would find supply crews would find supply ships already thereships already there

Crews would need to set Crews would need to set up permanent up permanent settlement to perform settlement to perform experiments, and protect experiments, and protect them from radiation and them from radiation and temperature extremes temperature extremes for 18 months on planetfor 18 months on planet

D’oh!D’oh! Astronauts might Astronauts might

have to deal with a have to deal with a long quarantine long quarantine time when they get time when they get backback• Protect Earth from Protect Earth from

martian bugsmartian bugs• Protect Astronauts Protect Astronauts

from Earth bugsfrom Earth bugs