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October 20, 2010 | Any takers for a one-way ticket to Mars? | Washington: Washington State University researchers have said that while technically feasible, a manned mission to Mars and back is unlikely to lift off anytime soon and so, a manned one-way mission to Mars would not only cut the costs by several fold, but also mark the beginning of long-term human colonization of the planet. Mars is by far the most promising for sustained colonization and development because it is similar in many respects to Earth and, crucially, possesses a moderate surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water and carbon dioxide, together with a range of essential minerals. "One approach could be to send four astronauts initially, two on each
of two space craft, each with a lander and sufficient supplies, to stake a single
outpost on Mars. A one-way human mission to Mars would be the first step in establishing
a permanent human presence on the planet," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a Washington
State University associate professor. Colleague Paul Davies, a physicist and cosmologist
from Arizona State University, added that they aren't suggesting that astronauts
simply be abandoned on the Red Planet for the sake of science; in fact they propose
a series of missions over time, sufficient to support long-term colonization.
The authors proposed that the astronauts would be re-supplied on a periodic basis
from Earth with basic necessities, but otherwise would be expected to become increasingly
proficient at harvesting and utilizing resources available on Mars. Eventually
they envision that outpost would reach self-sufficiency, and then it could serve
as a hub for a greatly expanded colonization program. First, an appropriate site
for the colony would be selected, preferentially associated with a cave or some
other natural shelter, as well as other nearby resources, such as water, minerals
and nutrients. "Ice caves would go a long way to solving the needs of a settlement
for water and oxygen. Mars has no ozone shield and no magnetospheric shielding,
and ice caves would also provide shelter from ionizing and ultraviolet radiation,"
said Schulze-Makuch. The added that in addition to offering humanity a "lifeboat"
in the event of a mega-catastrophe on Earth, a Mars colony would provide a platform
for further scientific research. Schulze-Makuch and Davies acknowledge that such
a project would require not only major international cooperation, but a return
to the exploration spirit and risk-taking ethos of the great period of the Earth's
exploration. "Informal surveys conducted after lectures and conference presentations
on our proposal, have repeatedly shown that many people are willing to volunteer
for a one-way mission, both for reasons of scientific curiosity and in a spirit
of adventure and human destiny," they wrote. The article is published this month
in the "Journal of Cosmology."
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