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Scientists, engineers and legions of volunteers have worked hard to make a mock Mars habitat in Utah as realistic as possible.
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), which is run by the nonprofit Mars Society, aims to help humanity prepare for the rigors and challenges of life on the Red Planet. It was designed in line with Mars Society founder Robert Zubrin's "Mars Direct" settlement approach, which sees crews living off the land as much as possible, MDRS director Shannon Rupert told SPACE.com.
"The idea was a small crew on these kind of preplanned set of missions that would allow astronauts to get there and have a functioning habitat in place," Rupert said. "We approached it from the idea that it's there and ready to go, and they [the crew] just have to land."
The habitat is the product of a great deal of analysis over the years, as the Mars Society and its advisors have considered what would be abundant resources on Mars — and which would be scarce ones.
Power, the planners reason, would be easy to get with the help of solar panels. (Right now, two large diesel generators fill that need for the habitat.) Water, however, would be limited, which is why the crew must send daily reports of water usage and keep showers to a military-style, two-minute sprint every other day. Each crew receives two bins of shelf-stable food to eat, and they can even harvest something from a nearby greenhouse (once the plants have grown enough).
Full article and photos:
Mock Mars Mission: Simulated Habitat Aims to Recreate Red Planet Living | Space.com
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), which is run by the nonprofit Mars Society, aims to help humanity prepare for the rigors and challenges of life on the Red Planet. It was designed in line with Mars Society founder Robert Zubrin's "Mars Direct" settlement approach, which sees crews living off the land as much as possible, MDRS director Shannon Rupert told SPACE.com.
"The idea was a small crew on these kind of preplanned set of missions that would allow astronauts to get there and have a functioning habitat in place," Rupert said. "We approached it from the idea that it's there and ready to go, and they [the crew] just have to land."
The habitat is the product of a great deal of analysis over the years, as the Mars Society and its advisors have considered what would be abundant resources on Mars — and which would be scarce ones.
Power, the planners reason, would be easy to get with the help of solar panels. (Right now, two large diesel generators fill that need for the habitat.) Water, however, would be limited, which is why the crew must send daily reports of water usage and keep showers to a military-style, two-minute sprint every other day. Each crew receives two bins of shelf-stable food to eat, and they can even harvest something from a nearby greenhouse (once the plants have grown enough).
Full article and photos:
Mock Mars Mission: Simulated Habitat Aims to Recreate Red Planet Living | Space.com
But, realistically, yeah I do feel like those first settlers coming to America never knew if they'd make it here let alone be able to go back. Plus I bet it was expensive to pay for a trip or even more to fund one just going one way. And besides. I can go start the Mars version of the NWO. Maybe that's why they won't hire me? They read my mind. I mean I think most people would love to be remembered throughout history for some great deed. What better way than to be one of the first settlers on Mars. Sure they won't remember my specific name, but my kids and their kids and their kids and so on and so forth will know. And then when I get to Mars I'll have more kids there. then I'll be paying child support on two planets. Yikes!