Probably the coolest thing I have heard in a while.

[captain spaulding]

3 of 4 people have been selected to be the first humans sent to Mars. Its a one way ticket though. I would do it if given the chance though.


Here is a mini documentary about it. The guy from the UK is a spitting image of Sheldon Cooper from TBBT.





Nasa website.


http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasas-orion-flight-test-and-the-journey-to-mars/index.html#.VNxwwfnF8rk
http://www.nasa.gov/nextgiantleap/#.VNxxL_nF8rk

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'd go. Assuming the overweight middle aged guy slot hasn't already been taken.

Def

[lister]

For no return trips we already have robots, for manned mision we need atomic powered spaceships with adequate radiaton shielding, centrifugal gravity substitute and showers... 


Oh and also laser  blasters to fight all the green monsters out there...   

[zoidberg]

Those three are just on the shortlist.

[Etherealicer]

For no return trips we already have robots, for manned mision we need atomic powered spaceships with adequate radiaton shielding, centrifugal gravity substitute and showers... 


Oh and also laser  blasters to fight all the green monsters out there...   

Robots are incredibly poor at improvisation. In order to have centrifugal gravity, the ship would have to be huge, which means heave, which means hard to accelerate.
I think to maintain some muscle mass it would need:
- Training equipment
- Electro-stimulation
- The right nutrition
- Steroids/Stimulants

[lister]

I think you are wrong about the mass needed for the centrifuge. All you realy need is a cylindrical ship with motors to spin the whole thing. Problem solved. 

[NKlamerus]

I Don't think they would need gravity. I think with the proper training they would be fine. They could train for Mars gravity as well.

[NKlamerus]

I found the 4th guy

[captain spaulding]

So as Zoidberg mentioned the three in the first video are just applicants to be selected. I found another video of more applicants.


http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/would-you-go-to-mars-if-you-could-never-come-back-to-earth

[zoidberg]

Thanks for the links capt. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I Don't think they would need gravity. I think with the proper training they would be fine. They could train for Mars gravity as well.

It's not so much a training issue, it's a bone density issue.  Astronauts in weightless environments for long periods of time lose bone density as the body doesn't see any need to devote resources to maintain bones when they aren't supporting any weight.

After several months in transit they may have issues standing or lifting things- both of which would probably be important for assembling a habitat.

Def

[lister]

No gravity is bad for you, think of it a severe case of couch potato in the making... 

[Whoey]

No gravity is bad for you, think of it a severe case of couch potato in the making... 

plenty of couch potatoes in training right now...

[firiki]

No gravity is bad for you, think of it a severe case of couch potato in the making... 

plenty of couch potatoes in training right now...

<===  Definitely one of them for the past few years.

 

[NKlamerus]

I Don't think they would need gravity. I think with the proper training they would be fine. They could train for Mars gravity as well.

It's not so much a training issue, it's a bone density issue.  Astronauts in weightless environments for long periods of time lose bone density as the body doesn't see any need to devote resources to maintain bones when they aren't supporting any weight.

After several months in transit they may have issues standing or lifting things- both of which would probably be important for assembling a habitat.

Def

I think they are working on that, this article was released in 2010, I would assume technology has advanced a little bit!

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-11686304

[Grant Lamontagne]

That is a beneficial idea for sure, but it isn't perfect.  It reminds me of the old NASA idea of putting big rubber bands over an astronaut's shoulders and making him/her run on a treadmill on microgravity.  Yes it keeps pushing them down, and yes it does benefit them somewhat, but it's far from perfect.

If they want someone to be able to function at peak levels on arrival in a hostile environment I think they are going to need to do better than that.

Ideally, rather than sending people right away I think what needs to be done is to create the habitat before anyone goes over- or at least down.  Send down the prefab living spaces, assemble it by robot and start a garden.  Then, when/if it's viable, start sending robotic mining equipment and some kind of refining/processing equipment and ensure that is functional.  Then, and only then, start landing people in small groups.

Sending people there without all of that is, IMHO a death sentence.  Maybe we could make Mars the next penal colony?

Def

[dks]

The big question will be what multi tool to take with you.
You will need to have it for the rest of your life and be sure it is useful and does not break.

[lister]

But then again the rest of your life would not be all that long due to all the healthy radiation you would be exposed to on Mars.

As far as the multi tool goes I would take with me a swisstool, swisscahmp XLT and a geologist hammer. The rock would be the only material you would find up there that is at least a bi useful. 

[lowtech]

The big question will be what multi tool to take with you.
You will need to have it for the rest of your life and be sure it is useful and does not break.

Easy. MP 600. 

[Syph007]

I guess they'll be free to rack up the credit cards on earth before leaving eh!  Good luck collecting since its a one way trip! 

On a serious note, its very cool they are crazy enough to do that.  Funny enough its not the one way trip part that scares me most, but the fast that you'll only see three other people the rest of your life.  It wouldnt seem as scary if it was a big ship of 100 going or something.. but I guess you gotta start with 4.

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm really not sure what to think about all this 

Other than asking "why?" of course.

Why is it beneficial to leave some guys stranded there? Why not wait till we can make a return trip? Why go to all the expense and hassle, if we can't harvest useful materials because we can't do a return trip.

[Syph007]

While we cant get anything physical back from this trip, we can get alot of data, so I think that is the main Why.  Why people volunteer to be lab rats is another mystery.  I suppose to have a legacy and be the first.  Some would do it just to have their name remembered.

[Whoey]

swisstool/spirit.

Send me... not like I'm much use for anything else these days...

[SAK Guy]

For no return trips we already have robots, for manned mision we need atomic powered spaceships with adequate radiaton shielding, centrifugal gravity substitute and showers... 


Oh and also laser  blasters to fight all the green monsters out there...   

...and cable.

[AimlessWanderer]

While we cant get anything physical back from this trip, we can get alot of data, so I think that is the main Why.  Why people volunteer to be lab rats is another mystery.  I suppose to have a legacy and be the first.  Some would do it just to have their name remembered.

Still doesn't answer my first two questions though 

Why the rush? Why do we need to do this before we can bring folk back. Can we trust people crazy enough to do the one way trip to do what is needed there. I'll chuck in another, did we actually achieve enough valuable and world changing data from plonking people on the moon to justify plonking people on another lifeless rock even further away? I'm not sure I would want to go down in the annuls of history as the most expensive and pointless waste of human life ever 

[ducttapetech]

swisstool/spirit.

Send me... not like I'm much use for anything else these days...

I thought you do all the techno voodoo to keep this site running. That is way more important than going to Mars.

Nate

[AHB]

I'd go. Assuming the overweight middle aged guy slot hasn't already been taken.

Def

Middleaged..?!?  I'll hit 40 soon and 40 is nowhere close to "middleaged".. 

[captain spaulding]

http://www.mars-one.com

[Cupboard]

I'd go. Assuming the overweight middle aged guy slot hasn't already been taken.

Def

Middleaged..?!?  I'll hit 40 soon and 40 is nowhere close to "middleaged".. 

My boss had his mid life crisis in his mid 60s. Which is why we now have a bright yellow Unimog parked in the yard...

[dks]

middle age..

Well, 50 is middle age only if you leave to 100.....

for most people 40 IS middle age....