[FPSPACE] Discovery reveals Mars is not a dead planet

[Jens Kieffer-Olsen]

E.P. Grondine epgrondine at hotmail.com 
Sat Jan 17 01:14:27 EST 2009 

>>> Oh joy - 
>>> 
>>> If so, then every one of these organisms will have to
>>> be conclusively shown to not be pathenognic or present
>>> a danger to Earth's ecosystem before any manned flight
>>> to Mars will be possible.
>>>
>>> E.P. Grondine
>>> Man and Impact in the Americas
>
>To which Jens replied:
>> Wrong!  Don't forget that there are plenty of volunteers
>> for a one-way-trip to Mars!
>>
>> In fact, while enjoying their Martian sojourn these
>> avantgarde settlers can perform the necessary tests
>> and medical experiments that will pave the way for
>> return trips later on.
>
> You're speaking here of the common fantasies of the
> Zubrinite Mars Nuts. Well, Jens, just because they're
> dumb enough to mistake Arizona, Canada, and various
> other places on Earth for Mars I don't see why I should
> pay for their stupidity - if they want to go to Mars one
> way they can pay for it out of their own pocket - or
> perhaps you want to pay for it via the ESA.
>
>> In my humble view 'Return to the Moon - this time to stay'
>> ought also be implemented with the help of deferred return
>> tickets. 
>
> Never heard of CAPS, I see.
>
> In point of fact closed loop environmental systems are
> not that advanced yet, either for Mars or the Moon. 
>
> E.P. Grondine
> Man and Impact in the Americas

 I am not advocating closed-loop environmental systems. On
 the contrary I expect regular cargo deliveries from Earth!

 Seeing a parallel between the US Wild West Frontier of the
 the last millennium and the sand dunes of Mars to-day - as
 'Zubrinite Mars Nuts' undoubtedly do - is not quite the same
 display of ignorance as having a vision of how to speed up
 permanent human presence on Mars ( and the Moon ) through
 one-way or open-return-ticket trips.

 In the case of Mars, one-way trips are likely to remain just
 that. Old-age Martians would come to depend on newcomers to
 cater for their needs. Only a select few of the first wave
 would ever return to Earth. Although science fiction to-day,
 the concept is worth a thought 10-20 years before manned
 Mars return trips are actually planned.

 In the case of the Moon, it's a damned lot easier to deliver
 cargoes to the right location. That's why it's a possibility 
 within the reign of the next US president - assuming he is
 re-elected in 2012. Of course, the condition would be that 
 trustworthy plans exist to pick up the early birds a few
 years or so after lunar touchdown. - And by all means let
 them be occupied with CAPS tasks in the meantime!


--
Jens Kieffer-Olsen
Slagelse, Denmark