[FPSPACE] Discovery reveals Mars is not a dead planet

[E.P. Grondine]

Jens wrote:

> If we are looking 40 or 50 years ahead anyway, it's quite likely
> that Martian settlers will enjoy some partial closed-loop system
> as well as inexpensive regular cargoes from Earth. But only
> a true red ZMN ( ie. Zubrinite Mars Nut ) will strive for full
> independence. 

Excuse me, Jen, but the life support system on ISS is being closed 
right now, and that work is not being done by true red ZMNs. As far 
as the Moon goes, you can be sure that Chinese engineers are 
examining Soviet and American work on this in detail for their 
2017-2022 Moon proposals and architectures. 

My guess is that this will likely be done by NASA for the Moon now 
that Griffin and Ares 1 are gone, and that we'll see what Moon
architectures the Direct team is advocating.

Closed loop systems also play a role in Dr. Aldrin's Mars cycler 
architectures, and he's not a ZMN. But he did play a role in the 
Direct presentation.

> As this thread is all about the consequences of Martian
> microbial life, I think Earthlings would be more than
> willing to pay for voluntary human guinea-pigs testing out
> the dangers of life out there. 

You haven't offered me one practical reason why people on Earth will 
pay for manned flight by a few people to Mars. Sending anything to 
Mars costs a lot of money. 

There's exploration, scientific interest, but given the costs there 
are robotic alternatives. Once again, it is far more likely that 
Antartica may be satisfying the human urge for exploration in the 
near future, due to its oil and mineral resources.

> What's odd is that we don't yet have a clue, as to which
> agenda will eventually determine the location of the first
> lunar bases.

> CAPS doesn't warrant a race between nations for best site,
> but mining polar craters for ice and He3 might do. And
> that's when the landing of dedicated moontrotters totally
> cool in regard to plans for their homecoming could make
> a difference in securing their country the goodies.

There will be no race, except for leadership in space.
The degree of international co-operation will depend on many 
things, many of which we can not predict now.

For example, if JFK had not have been assassinated, it is quite 
likely that international co-operation in space would have begun 
by 1964.


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