Ebook: Human Missions to Mars: Enabling Technologies for Exploring the Red Planet

In “Human Missions to Mars” Donald Rapp looks at human missions to Mars from an engineering perspective. He begins by describing the pros and cons of robotic exploration versus human exploration and then examines the ideas for sending humans to Mars from the point of view of both the enthusiast and the skeptic. Chapter 2 describes how space missions are planned and how they may be achieved as a sequence of separate steps. Chapter 3 deals with the complex issues relating to the outward journey to Mars and the return leg. The author deals with propulsion systems and with the analysis of the various trajectories which may be utilized for such a mission. He divides mission into a number of stages: Earth’s surface to low-Earth orbit (LEO); departing from LEO; Mars orbit insertion and landing; ascent from Mars; trans-Earth injection from Mars orbit and Earth orbit insertion and landing. Chapter 4 discusses a wide range of elements critical to a human Mars mission, including life support consumables, radiation effects and shielding, microgravity effects, abort options and mission safety, possible habitats on the Martian surface and aero assisted orbit insertion and entry decent and landing.

For any human mission to the Red Planet the possible utilization of any resources indigenous to Mars would be of great value and such possibilities are discussed in Chapter 5. The use of indigenous resources on the Moon is described as a precursor to the availability of similar resources on Mars and issues such as fuelling Mars-bound craft from lunar resources, the use of lunar ferries, staging, assembly and refueling in near-Earth space are all discussed. The important applications arising from the transportation of hydrogen to Mars are also described. Chapter 6 deals with a range of previous Mars mission studies and the technologies they employed. Chapter 7 looks as how NASA is planning for its return to the Moon, and the use of the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars. Chapter 8 presents the author’s detailed analysis of why, in his opinion, the current NASA approach will fail to send humans to Mars before 2080. The book concludes with three appendices describing the use of solar energy on the Moon and on Mars and the value of indigenous water on Mars.

This book looks at human missions to Mars from an engineering perspective. It begins by describing the pros and cons of robotic exploration versus human exploration and then examines the ideas for sending humans to Mars from the point of view of both the enthusiast and the skeptic. Chapter 2 describes how space missions are planned and how they may be achieved as a sequence of separate steps. Chapter 3 deals with the complex issues relating to the outward journey to Mars and the return leg. Chapter 4 discusses a wide range of elements critical to a human Mars mission.

For any human mission to the Red Planet the possible utilization of any resources indigenous to Mars would be of great value and such possibilities are discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 deals with a range of previous Mars mission studies and their technologies. Chapter 7 looks as how NASA is planning for its return to the Moon, and the use of the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars. Chapter 8 presents the author’s detailed analysis of why, in his opinion, the current NASA approach will fail to send humans to Mars before 2080. The book concludes with appendices describing the use of solar energy on the M

This book looks at human missions to Mars from an engineering perspective. It begins by describing the pros and cons of robotic exploration versus human exploration and then examines the ideas for sending humans to Mars from the point of view of both the enthusiast and the skeptic. Chapter 2 describes how space missions are planned and how they may be achieved as a sequence of separate steps. Chapter 3 deals with the complex issues relating to the outward journey to Mars and the return leg. Chapter 4 discusses a wide range of elements critical to a human Mars mission.

For any human mission to the Red Planet the possible utilization of any resources indigenous to Mars would be of great value and such possibilities are discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 deals with a range of previous Mars mission studies and their technologies. Chapter 7 looks as how NASA is planning for its return to the Moon, and the use of the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars. Chapter 8 presents the author’s detailed analysis of why, in his opinion, the current NASA approach will fail to send humans to Mars before 2080. The book concludes with appendices describing the use of solar energy on the M
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiii
Why explore Mars?....Pages 1-11
Planning space campaigns and missions....Pages 13-25
Getting there and back....Pages 27-83
Critical Mars mission elements....Pages 85-147
In situ utilization of indigenous resources....Pages 149-236
Mars mission analysis....Pages 237-289
How NASA is dealing with return to the Moon....Pages 291-330
Why the NASA approach will likely fail to send humans to Mars prior to c. 2080....Pages 331-368
Back Matter....Pages 369-521

This book looks at human missions to Mars from an engineering perspective. It begins by describing the pros and cons of robotic exploration versus human exploration and then examines the ideas for sending humans to Mars from the point of view of both the enthusiast and the skeptic. Chapter 2 describes how space missions are planned and how they may be achieved as a sequence of separate steps. Chapter 3 deals with the complex issues relating to the outward journey to Mars and the return leg. Chapter 4 discusses a wide range of elements critical to a human Mars mission.

For any human mission to the Red Planet the possible utilization of any resources indigenous to Mars would be of great value and such possibilities are discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 deals with a range of previous Mars mission studies and their technologies. Chapter 7 looks as how NASA is planning for its return to the Moon, and the use of the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars. Chapter 8 presents the author’s detailed analysis of why, in his opinion, the current NASA approach will fail to send humans to Mars before 2080. The book concludes with appendices describing the use of solar energy on the M
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiii
Why explore Mars?....Pages 1-11
Planning space campaigns and missions....Pages 13-25
Getting there and back....Pages 27-83
Critical Mars mission elements....Pages 85-147
In situ utilization of indigenous resources....Pages 149-236
Mars mission analysis....Pages 237-289
How NASA is dealing with return to the Moon....Pages 291-330
Why the NASA approach will likely fail to send humans to Mars prior to c. 2080....Pages 331-368
Back Matter....Pages 369-521
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