tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post76437031818088024..comments2024-01-03T17:20:36.960-05:00Comments on Thoughts Arise: One-Way Mission to Mars - Ethics FailMarc Merlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946231992925684244noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-62771541495087448862011-06-20T12:43:56.860-04:002011-06-20T12:43:56.860-04:00Yes Marc perhaps we are closer then we imagine.
Bu...Yes Marc perhaps we are closer then we imagine.<br />But I leave you with this - without the J - missions much of the technology for Viking and other robotic missions would not be as advanced.<br />And the J - missions while expensive achieved magnificent scientific returns withen a few year rather then wasting entire scientific careers on failed or lengthy robotic missions that take many years to travel a few miles.<br />Mars direct / stay missions would be the J-missions of the 21rst century.<br />But people will have to learn to accept that other peoples lives are their own business.The Dork of Corkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01118115538944689118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-3872273616463030832011-06-20T12:17:36.448-04:002011-06-20T12:17:36.448-04:00Thanks for your comments, Dork of Cork, Esq.,
I r...Thanks for your comments, Dork of Cork, Esq.,<br /><br />I really don't object to your analysis of the money involved in the proposed one-way mission, allowing for factors of 2 or 4 which may rear their ugly heads.<br /><br />I even agree with your statement, "you cannot have industrial development or adventure without goals."<br /><br />I think where we differ - and I hope so respectfully - is that I see the adventure as one that maximizes the scientific bang for ours buck and doesn't get sidetracked by the expensive and counterproductive task of moving fragile (and valuable) human bodies around the solar system.<br /><br />In other words, I want to learn as much about Mars as soon as possible. (See my "Science Fail" post in this series.)<br /><br />My guess is that we agree in many fundamental ways.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />MarcMarc Merlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01946231992925684244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-36481532535584435502011-06-20T11:14:24.021-04:002011-06-20T11:14:24.021-04:00Ok Marc , lets talk about money
I believe a one w...Ok Marc , lets talk about money<br /><br />I believe a one way mission architecture would not cost more then the White elephant ISS project which is probably north of $100 billion now.<br />In 1966 NASA budget peaked at around $6 Billion in 1966 dollars while Vietnam was gearing up to $25 billion a year expenditure that unlike Apollo also increased Americas trade deficit.<br />The Saturn V was created from a low technological base withen 5 years or so.<br />The budget declined until decapitated by Nixon who killed a very practical Apollo applications project which could have run on a 5billion a year budget and create the systems for a manned mission using Mars direct architecture in the early 80s<br />Instead much of the remaining NASA funding was channelled into a hybrid Military Shuttle that was never a success given its absurd complexity.<br />This has been proven given the most recent NASA heavy lift booster studies which stated that a Saturn legacy rocket was cheaper to run then a Shuttle legacy rocket.<br />So essentially 40 years of rocket development has been for nought.<br />You see American Industry has been destroyed by a very dubious Club of Rome agenda that has hobbled ambition and elan in the west in general to service various covet interests.<br />Given that America has sunk 20 trillion into her banking industry that creates nothing but debt, Goverment money of in todays dollars runs a $18 - $20 billion Nasa could be directed towards a simple Mars architecture for no extra cost.<br />Columbus may have looked for private money to get to America but in the end it was Queen Isabella that gave him the doe.<br />What happened in the early 70s was the blunder of the millennium as Nixon decided to burn the ships.<br />You cannot have Industrial development or adventure without goals - NASA is a castrated goalless concubine for various sectoral interests now.<br />Its trajectory measures accuretly the decline of the west.The Dork of Corkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01118115538944689118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-70024778867359116882011-06-20T10:33:09.974-04:002011-06-20T10:33:09.974-04:00Dear Sir Dork of Cork,
I have no problem with peo...Dear Sir Dork of Cork,<br /><br />I have no problem with people of free will independently undertaking and financing a one-way trip to Mars. I offer them a hardy, "God speed!"<br /><br />But when such a mission is organized around scientific research objectives and fueled by public funds, then it behooves me to state my objections and endorsements, as appropriate.<br /><br />I am in no way "imposing my morality" here, just offering my opinions as a citizen and a fan of science. I think my analysis is sound, although I respect the fact that you don't agree with my conclusions.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />MarcMarc Merlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01946231992925684244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-45678988301904796442011-06-20T10:16:18.656-04:002011-06-20T10:16:18.656-04:00Why do you wish to impose your morality on others ...Why do you wish to impose your morality on others with free will ?<br /><br />Anyhow human exploration would never have happened without the acceptance of risk - we would be still sucking our thumbs in the rift valley now.<br /><br />The west has been in continual decline since Nixon scrapped the Apollo applications project.<br />The willingness to launch a 400 day free return trajectory to Venus in the autumn of 1973 when life support systems was in its infancy attests to the now vanished world of risk acceptance back then.<br />Without a goal to inspire technological innovation dies.<br /><br />Perhaps I come from a vanishing generation of Dan Dare boy scouts that were naive in the extreme but give me that naivety over the self fulfilling intellectual snobbery and inwardness of today.<br /><br />Manana Manana - enough with this tommorow lark.<br />NOWThe Dork of Corkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01118115538944689118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-18136182793534089852011-04-26T17:40:09.407-04:002011-04-26T17:40:09.407-04:00i was wondering if anyone could help,i have been t...i was wondering if anyone could help,i have been thinking about the one way mission to mars,and would like to volunteer my services but cannot find out where to apply,any ideas.<br />This is not a crank request but serious request,if it helps us all in the future then id gladly help outAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07052370963241181282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-15693377151293686592011-04-25T06:11:43.337-04:002011-04-25T06:11:43.337-04:00Interesting idea Jeremy. I'm no scientist, so ...Interesting idea Jeremy. I'm no scientist, so I have to take your word for it. But one thing does puzzle me. If the scientific rationale you propose is correct how do you explain the choice of the world's leading scientists to focus on Mars. Do you know something they don't?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12843091966598205814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588126970544264673.post-42119147014636364412011-04-18T04:50:45.963-04:002011-04-18T04:50:45.963-04:00You know I've actually been thinking that when...You know I've actually been thinking that when it comes time to terraform a planet, Venus might actually make more sense then Mars. Why? Because the intense heat of its atmosphere provides a source of energy, while the over-pressure of its atmosphere provides a source of plentiful sulfides, hydrides and oxides for all manner of manufacture and, of course, supplying rocket fuel. Dealing with cold and under-pressure, on the other hand, may simply be technologically impossible.Jeremy Jansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218395232783877050noreply@blogger.com