A few days ago on the website space.com and in a number of other western websites published the news that a certain company, which is developing the project to send a manned mission to Mars without a return , received the first capital injections from their sponsors.
What is the essence of the proposed company “Mars One” mission to Mars?
The fact that it will fly in the same direction. The mission is planned irrevocable. In the first flight after a series of robotic missions to send an expedition of 4 volunteers and stay there forever. They’re there to, as the article says, to prepare the way for the colonization of Mars in these expeditions.
Even today , in principle, mankind can send a manned spacecraft to the Red Planet . It is obvious that a ship of this class should not start from the surface of the Earth, and with an intermediate Earth orbit. That is, the ship must be assembled in orbit. The experience of such work in humans is available. An example is the Soviet orbital station , and then the ISS. If it is possible to construct the station in orbit , it is possible and the spaceship there to collect. The output of the ship to an interplanetary ballistic trajectory also does not cause any problems . It is we, too, can do. Next arrival at Mars and output spacecraft into orbit around it – it is also the power of modern technology . But then the problems begin. You can equip the ship lander . And to put this module safely on the surface of Mars can also be . But back … Back still does . Mars , though smaller than Earth , but to start from the surface will need a lot of fuel. With the return of the crew will be in big trouble. Start with the planet – that’s different than starting from Earth or Mars orbit .
That’s why NASA its first interplanetary mission plans to send to Mars is not as much further – to the asteroid belt . Have to fly farther , but with the return of the expedition such problems do not arise.
The company is “Mars One” is planning a mission with no refund.
Here at the moment such is the state of terrestrial technologies. Returned an expedition to Mars , we can not yet realize .
I do not in any way deny the need for exploration of other planets in the solar system. This is, of course, need to do. But sending manned expeditions to the surface of the planets can only be developed when the interplanetary engines are more efficient, allows one to overcome these distances are not ballistic, and for arbitrary trajectories, and technology return the ship back to Earth.
goodnews Blog 