https://lockheedmartin.com/us/ssc/mars-orion.html
Due to the enormous PR machine that is Elon it's easy to forget they 'are not alone'.In wishing to go to Mars.
The CEO of Boeing recently said that it would be a Boeing rocket that would take people to Mars first.Elon said 'do it'.
Well the CEO is not totally stupid! Of course he was referring to the joint effort of the SLS.He is more than aware of what Lockheed (His rocket partners)
Are doing both with Orion but also what they are suggesting regarding a Mars mission.
They are not looking to colonise Mars but to send scientific (long term) missions.Considering the considerable radiation issues this is not a bad starting point imho.
First building the orbiting moon gateway where any additional assembly would be done.Then an orbiting Mars base (4-6 people),then a separate means of landing and returning to the space station that itself can return to Moon orbit and finally Earth.
This approach is very similar to the recent Martian film of course.
Far smaller in ambition perhaps but just as possible.
Clearly the deep space (Moon) gateway would also be used for any Moon base for which funding has outline approval.
Note imho Elon does not nearly have the resources to build his colonisation vision.Thus it may become a tug of $$$ political war between Lockheed/Boeing/NASA and Spacex.Now who do you think will get the funding?
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Re: The other way to Mars
Best way to Mars is the other ORION:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_O ... pulsion%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_O ... pulsion%29
Re: The other way to Mars
parapente wrote:https://lockheedmartin.com/us/ssc/mars-orion.html
Due to the enormous PR machine that is Elon it's easy to forget they 'are not alone'.In wishing to go to Mars.
The CEO of Boeing recently said that it would be a Boeing rocket that would take people to Mars first.Elon said 'do it'.
Well the CEO is not totally stupid! Of course he was referring to the joint effort of the SLS.He is more than aware of what Lockheed (His rocket partners)
Boeing, nor NASA, have clear plans for manned Mars missions. Most of those comments are just political.
SLS missions will depend on NASA's annual budget and have no clear roadmap.
Re: The other way to Mars
The radiation issue was solved decades ago, it is exposed in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy : build a base underground.
It's true for the Moon base too, for Mars it has the added benefit of protecting from dust storms.
Incidentally Musk has now a tunneling company...
It's true for the Moon base too, for Mars it has the added benefit of protecting from dust storms.
Incidentally Musk has now a tunneling company...
Re: The other way to Mars
They already have an orbital launch platform for Mars missions, the ISS. Slap on a few more modules with an Orion capsule ready to go and you're good. We can use Soyuz or Shenzhou vehicles to get from the surface to the ISS to make it a true international effort.
Re: The other way to Mars
They're talking about something orbiting the Moon not Earth. ISS is much too low to be of use. I guess you could actually slap some big boosters on it and send it to the Moon, but you're back with the radiation problem. ISS is protected by Earth at its current altitude, around the Moon it wouldn't be.
Re: The other way to Mars
The radiation point is a good one re CIA Luna orbit way station.That would most likely make it rather heavy I imagine.
Less of a problem 'on' the moon as you can use tunnels or existing lava tubes etc.But if one was going to mars it's a shame to go down one gravity well just after you escaped another.
Incidentally what is wrong with assembly in low Earth orbit? At least it's close and most of the hard work has been done.
Less of a problem 'on' the moon as you can use tunnels or existing lava tubes etc.But if one was going to mars it's a shame to go down one gravity well just after you escaped another.
Incidentally what is wrong with assembly in low Earth orbit? At least it's close and most of the hard work has been done.
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