***If the links do not work, simply copy and paste the address into your browser. Alternatively, you can simply search these titles on YouTube. :)
Mars Rising, Episode 2: Rocket Power: https://youtu.be/cBZM7vh7-EM
Mars Rising, Episode 1: Journey to the Red Planet: https://youtu.be/LIbMzUJq06s
"The VASIMR Engine: How to Get to Mars in 40 Days" by SciShow Daily: https://youtu.be/uqX8wIkjoYg
__________________________________________________________________
We watched these videos while considering these questions. Each pair of students will need to design their own mission to Mars, and will need to discuss the psychological, physical and technical problems and how to solve them.
1) Which length of trip, short or long? This will affect how long astronauts have to spend on Mars, studying and learning.
2) Which technologies are you going to use? Russian or American? Or a combination of both?
3) What are the problems (psychological, physical and technical) that we will encounter and how do we fix them?
Mars is 56,000,000 km from Earth.
We would need 11,000L of water and 20 metric tons of dehydrated food (this is heavier than the ISS!)
NASA (and her allies like the CSA and ESA) are planning on using a bigger and modified tear-drop shape capsule (like the Apollo capsules) called 'Orion.' Russia plans to use a mini-shuttle called 'Clipper.'
NASA plans to build a station on the Moon by 2025 and use the moon as practice, since it has been so long since we fired “manned rockets out in space.”
Length of trip/Route:
Long trip: leave to Mars when the planet is closest to us, 56,000,000 km away. We would need the least fuel (which is less weight to bring with us). The astronauts would have to spend 18 months on Mars, though. They have to wait for Mars and Earth to be in close orbit again.
Short trip: this is riskier. We will swing by Venus to use its gravity to slingshot us to Mars, meaning we have to use less fuel. However, if we miss Venus, we will die. We will still spend 30 days on Mars. If we miss the launch window at 30 days, we would have to wait for Mars and Venus and Earth to align themselves again on a hostile planet which has no food or air to keep us alive.
The Russians plan to skip going the moon and go straight to Mars. Their first trip will be to orbit Mars without landing, since descending and ascending to and from the surface of Mars is the riskiest procedure in the entire trip. NASA and her allies plan to go to the Moon, first. The Moon will provide a good training ground for going to Mars.
***All Russian plans are currently unknown. The Clipper has been scrapped. It is still really important to study the fact that there are different plans and alternate technologies that could get us to Mars (or beyond one day).
Type of Ship:
The Russian Clipper (see note above), which has wings to glide back to Earth like the shuttles, or NASA’s Orion, a tear-drop design reminiscent of the Apollo era? Orion will be built from a new Lithium-Ion polymer, so it will be much lighter than the Apollo capsules, even though it will be much bigger and able to carry 6 passengers and equipment.
Fuel sources:
Nuclear: this method would use less propellant and need less Ares launches, which can be up to 2 million dollars a mission. Nuclear, however, has a bad reputation. This would still take 12 months of travel to Mars. Nuclear power, however, is twice as efficient as fuel. We would need less launches than chemical propulsion, around 7 80 ton launches.
Plasma beam: Use a super-heated plasma in a beam to push the rocket forward. It’s like two North poles of a magnet repelling each other. However, to slow down the vehicle, there must be a corresponding satellite in orbit around Mars to send another beam to slow the vehicle down. This is theoretically possible, but still a long way from being tested. This would only 30 days to reach Mars.
Chemical propulsion: Fuel and oxygen are ignited and the flame pushes the rocket forward. We would need at least 11 80 ton launches for this option.
VASIMR: VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket uses radio waves to ionize and heat propellant, turning it into plasma. Then, using a magnetic field, it is accelerated and directed out the rocket, pushing the rocket forward.
Psychological, physical and technological problems:
Cabin fever: ESA estimates that each person needs 75m3 of space, 1/3 of which would be for storing equipment and material and food and water. “Can any 6 people live together for a year in the space of a small apartment without someone cracking up?” Conversation (email) with Earth would be up to 23 minutes time-delayed depending on how far astronauts were from Earth.
Attention tunneling: After 6 months of boredom and repetitious actions and cabin fever, NASA will have to train it’s astronauts to snap into action for a 6 minute landing on Mars!
Solar radiation: “Star Trek” is fun to watch, but blue-coloured force fields that ‘buzz’ when you touch them are complete science fiction, not fact. How can we protect ourselves from radiation? Water!
Physical effects: muscle and bone loss. After 160 days in space, there can be a loss of 65% of strength and 15% of bone mass. This is still 1/3 of the length of the trip to Mars. We can simulate gravity by rotating the space ship, which would greatly help counteract these effects.
Family loss: what happens if an astronaut’s family has illness or death? Does Earth tell the astronauts, or not?
The Saturn V rocket lifted 5 tons in orbit. We will need a rocket capable of lifting 80 – 90 tons. The Ares 5 will generate 9.6 million pounds of thrust at take-off. It will accelerate to 11 km/sec to escape Earth’s gravity.
Mass is the biggest problem. Mass means weight and most of this will be fuel and consumables to get to Mars and keep the astronauts alive. More mass means more weight means more fuel is needed. Could we make the fuel to return home on Mars? Mars has lots of CO2. Carbon is the basis for rocket fuel, CH4 2H2O. While this saves a lot of weight going to Mars, what problems might occur with creating fuel on Mars?
Mars:
It is a planet of hostile extremes, with massive dust storms (it is not unusual to have dust storms that circle the entire planet and also create electrical storms), craters, extreme temperatures, a carbon dioxide-filled atmosphere and1/3 Earth gravity. What happens if we land in a dust storm?
The last 100 – 50 km of the landing is the most dangerous. The lander will have to be protected by a heat shield. Could we use an inflatable heat shield?
Astronauts must live 18 months in this hostile environment and there is no rescue possible. They must land close to the Mars Habitat, which would be sent on a separate rocket. If they land too far from their Habitat, they would die. Should the Mars Habitat be sent prior to the astronauts arriving and sit frozen, unused on the Martian surface, or should we bring it with us?
Scientists think there may be water 100 – 400 m below the surface. Drilling into frozen rock is dangerous and very time consuming. 650 million years ago, Mars was a water planet and we do not know why Mars became a dead planet, though there are many theories. When asteroids hit planets, fragments from that planet can be flung into space and even into other planets’ atmosphere. Did Earth life originate on Mars?
Why is it so important to find evidence of past life on Mars?
Mars Rising, Episode 2: Rocket Power: https://youtu.be/cBZM7vh7-EM
Mars Rising, Episode 1: Journey to the Red Planet: https://youtu.be/LIbMzUJq06s
"The VASIMR Engine: How to Get to Mars in 40 Days" by SciShow Daily: https://youtu.be/uqX8wIkjoYg
__________________________________________________________________
We watched these videos while considering these questions. Each pair of students will need to design their own mission to Mars, and will need to discuss the psychological, physical and technical problems and how to solve them.
1) Which length of trip, short or long? This will affect how long astronauts have to spend on Mars, studying and learning.
2) Which technologies are you going to use? Russian or American? Or a combination of both?
3) What are the problems (psychological, physical and technical) that we will encounter and how do we fix them?
Mars is 56,000,000 km from Earth.
We would need 11,000L of water and 20 metric tons of dehydrated food (this is heavier than the ISS!)
NASA (and her allies like the CSA and ESA) are planning on using a bigger and modified tear-drop shape capsule (like the Apollo capsules) called 'Orion.' Russia plans to use a mini-shuttle called 'Clipper.'
NASA plans to build a station on the Moon by 2025 and use the moon as practice, since it has been so long since we fired “manned rockets out in space.”
Length of trip/Route:
Long trip: leave to Mars when the planet is closest to us, 56,000,000 km away. We would need the least fuel (which is less weight to bring with us). The astronauts would have to spend 18 months on Mars, though. They have to wait for Mars and Earth to be in close orbit again.
Short trip: this is riskier. We will swing by Venus to use its gravity to slingshot us to Mars, meaning we have to use less fuel. However, if we miss Venus, we will die. We will still spend 30 days on Mars. If we miss the launch window at 30 days, we would have to wait for Mars and Venus and Earth to align themselves again on a hostile planet which has no food or air to keep us alive.
The Russians plan to skip going the moon and go straight to Mars. Their first trip will be to orbit Mars without landing, since descending and ascending to and from the surface of Mars is the riskiest procedure in the entire trip. NASA and her allies plan to go to the Moon, first. The Moon will provide a good training ground for going to Mars.
***All Russian plans are currently unknown. The Clipper has been scrapped. It is still really important to study the fact that there are different plans and alternate technologies that could get us to Mars (or beyond one day).
Type of Ship:
The Russian Clipper (see note above), which has wings to glide back to Earth like the shuttles, or NASA’s Orion, a tear-drop design reminiscent of the Apollo era? Orion will be built from a new Lithium-Ion polymer, so it will be much lighter than the Apollo capsules, even though it will be much bigger and able to carry 6 passengers and equipment.
Fuel sources:
Nuclear: this method would use less propellant and need less Ares launches, which can be up to 2 million dollars a mission. Nuclear, however, has a bad reputation. This would still take 12 months of travel to Mars. Nuclear power, however, is twice as efficient as fuel. We would need less launches than chemical propulsion, around 7 80 ton launches.
Plasma beam: Use a super-heated plasma in a beam to push the rocket forward. It’s like two North poles of a magnet repelling each other. However, to slow down the vehicle, there must be a corresponding satellite in orbit around Mars to send another beam to slow the vehicle down. This is theoretically possible, but still a long way from being tested. This would only 30 days to reach Mars.
Chemical propulsion: Fuel and oxygen are ignited and the flame pushes the rocket forward. We would need at least 11 80 ton launches for this option.
VASIMR: VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket uses radio waves to ionize and heat propellant, turning it into plasma. Then, using a magnetic field, it is accelerated and directed out the rocket, pushing the rocket forward.
Psychological, physical and technological problems:
Cabin fever: ESA estimates that each person needs 75m3 of space, 1/3 of which would be for storing equipment and material and food and water. “Can any 6 people live together for a year in the space of a small apartment without someone cracking up?” Conversation (email) with Earth would be up to 23 minutes time-delayed depending on how far astronauts were from Earth.
Attention tunneling: After 6 months of boredom and repetitious actions and cabin fever, NASA will have to train it’s astronauts to snap into action for a 6 minute landing on Mars!
Solar radiation: “Star Trek” is fun to watch, but blue-coloured force fields that ‘buzz’ when you touch them are complete science fiction, not fact. How can we protect ourselves from radiation? Water!
Physical effects: muscle and bone loss. After 160 days in space, there can be a loss of 65% of strength and 15% of bone mass. This is still 1/3 of the length of the trip to Mars. We can simulate gravity by rotating the space ship, which would greatly help counteract these effects.
Family loss: what happens if an astronaut’s family has illness or death? Does Earth tell the astronauts, or not?
The Saturn V rocket lifted 5 tons in orbit. We will need a rocket capable of lifting 80 – 90 tons. The Ares 5 will generate 9.6 million pounds of thrust at take-off. It will accelerate to 11 km/sec to escape Earth’s gravity.
Mass is the biggest problem. Mass means weight and most of this will be fuel and consumables to get to Mars and keep the astronauts alive. More mass means more weight means more fuel is needed. Could we make the fuel to return home on Mars? Mars has lots of CO2. Carbon is the basis for rocket fuel, CH4 2H2O. While this saves a lot of weight going to Mars, what problems might occur with creating fuel on Mars?
Mars:
It is a planet of hostile extremes, with massive dust storms (it is not unusual to have dust storms that circle the entire planet and also create electrical storms), craters, extreme temperatures, a carbon dioxide-filled atmosphere and1/3 Earth gravity. What happens if we land in a dust storm?
The last 100 – 50 km of the landing is the most dangerous. The lander will have to be protected by a heat shield. Could we use an inflatable heat shield?
Astronauts must live 18 months in this hostile environment and there is no rescue possible. They must land close to the Mars Habitat, which would be sent on a separate rocket. If they land too far from their Habitat, they would die. Should the Mars Habitat be sent prior to the astronauts arriving and sit frozen, unused on the Martian surface, or should we bring it with us?
Scientists think there may be water 100 – 400 m below the surface. Drilling into frozen rock is dangerous and very time consuming. 650 million years ago, Mars was a water planet and we do not know why Mars became a dead planet, though there are many theories. When asteroids hit planets, fragments from that planet can be flung into space and even into other planets’ atmosphere. Did Earth life originate on Mars?
Why is it so important to find evidence of past life on Mars?