could an atlas rocket...

[matt_warfield]

Okay ivan, you da master. I sharpened my pencil and deduced that you are correct by around 10%. Some could regard either of our reasoning as a dubious accomplishment.

 

Back on topic, I would support taking all the pay Congress gets to do nothing and put it into the space program but nothing more.

 

And it is a bad idea to put a married couple in the same spaceship in close quarters unless each is deaf mute and blind.

Edited March 9, 2013 by matt_warfield

[glassgowkiss]

The private 2018 trip does not propose to land on Mars, just swing round it and head right back home.

What is the point of this? An unmanned flight can accomplish that and more for the fraction of the cost, minus all the risk factors of flight with the crew on board.

[matt_warfield]

[olyclimber]

The private 2018 trip does not propose to land on Mars, just swing round it and head right back home.

What is the point of this? An unmanned flight can accomplish that and more for the fraction of the cost, minus all the risk factors of flight with the crew on board.

 

 

duh. to delight in human suffering. stop being a pussy you sheep shagger.

[Off_White]

The Apollo program sent a crew around the moon and back before attempting a landing.

[tvashtarkatena]

For those of you interested in how just much a standard Marsianaut eats, drinks, pees, and poops per day:

 

Inspiration Mars Feasibility Analysis

 

"Given the limitations of the mission, this

will certainly be reduced by eliminating or reducing items such

as toilet paper, tape, dry wipes, detergent, disinfectant and

clothing."

 

The "minimal clothing" paragraph caught my eye. Hopefully for us viewers, the couple will be of lower rather than upper middle age.

 

The mission proposes to use a modified DragonX capsule for the crew and Heavy rocket, neither of which are currently available.

 

Cost estimates being bandied about run around 2 B.

Edited March 11, 2013 by tvashtarkatena

[tvashtarkatena]

The Apollo program sent a crew around the moon and back before attempting a landing.

 

2 crews, plus a third, bonus crew a bit later on.

[bstach]

The Apollo program sent a crew around the moon and back before attempting a landing.

 

Its my understanding they did that because the LEM wasn't ready yet.

[tvashtarkatena]

After Apollo 8 rounded the moon, NASA spent the next two missions testing the LEM in both earth and lunar orbit before landing on the moon. Apollo 10 must have sucked in a way - all dressed up and no shore passes...

 

It would be fun as hell to watch Tito's Spam in a Can barrel race round Mars actually happen. No one's ever been more than half a million miles away from earth - watching the planet recede into a blue dot has got to be a mind bender.

Edited March 11, 2013 by tvashtarkatena

[ivan]

No one's ever been more than half a million miles away from earth - watching the planet recede into a blue dot has got to be a mind bender.

all the more reason to bring some powerful mind-benders to wack the whole thing back into shape as needed

 

don't forgot the most critical item (and today his berfday no less!):

[tvashtarkatena]

When this is in your rear view, you know the shit just got real:

 

[video:youtube]ljh8_q-DmuI

Edited March 11, 2013 by tvashtarkatena

[AlpineK]

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZCiZpph9jo

[ivan]

When this is in your rear view, you know the shit just got real:

 

[video:youtube]ljh8_q-DmuI

this is when my boy beatard-ben would say somethign like "oh shit, stop! i forgot my jacket/helmet/food/shitbag/etc back there"

[tvashtarkatena]

The flyby is quick - less than a day's duration.

 

The drive home takes a month and half longer than the drive to - that's gonna suck.

 

What's really gonna suck is 16 months of freeze dried. More strokinoff, my dear?

Edited March 12, 2013 by tvashtarkatena

[rob]

as long as there is plenty o 'tang

[tvashtarkatena]

I'm picturing Dr. Strangelove and his lovely new young wife Starbrite.

[denalidave]

The Apollo program sent a crew around the moon and back before attempting a landing.

And all this time I thought they couldn't find a parking spot on the first go...

[rob]

Kevbone sent me a YouTube video that proves the moon landing was a hoax. YOU CAN SEE THE FLAG WAVING, PEOPLE.