Mission Support

Week of Feb. 27 2000

Dinesh

Mitch

Jesus

Patrick

Tina

 

Vehicle:

Have been researching on a space vehicle design. factors such as reliability, range, power, fuel, material of the vehicle, what additional functions can we include, the carriage capacity and what it should carry? were looked upon. Mars has less light and less gravity, it has no water except on the poles, no breathable atmosphere.  The composition is 95% carbon dioxide, 3% Nitrogen and 1.6 % argon.  The cars probably have lights all over them, aiming in all directions, and they'd always be on obviously . The cars would be heavier, air tight, no windshield wipers , and there'd be air packs on the roof. As we decided about the base I mean to have a tank base instead of tires.

 

I've sent out a lot of emails to various people regarding vehicles and haven't had a reply. The only thing that I thought was useful was the plan to put a Mars Air Plane (MAP) in the atmosphere to have a nice 20 minute flight. The only thing that I found out afterwards was that it a micro-vehicle. So it would have no possibility to carry passengers. It is also very impractical to have a plane on our mission. The only reason for MAP is basically pride. It is planned to fly in 2003, the centennial anniversary of the Wright brother's flight. They are really putting pride in front of science...pointless.  So, being that I don't have anything productive, I decided to research possible landing sites. Possibilities that I have found from Mars Academy are:

-Dao Vallis

-Hebes Chasma

-Mare Tyrrenum

-Eridania Northwest

-North Pole

-Parana Valles

 

Recycling and Energy:

I sent email to different people about recycling systems... No word yet.  I've also been looking for information on submarine reactors... Have not yet found any real information. --It could be difficult considering how little the U.S. likes to talk about nuclear devices. I'll also try to find out more information on other power devices... There's got to be something useable out there. --Might be time for a trip to the library. (As much as I hate to admit it, not everything is available online yet.)

 

Housing:

As of yet a decision about the type of house that will be used for the mission has not been decided.  The structure needs to be analyzed as to how it will react to internal pressurization being greater than outside forces.  One of the MMAE professors would likely be the best place to get some help with the analysis.  Currently the advantages and detrimental problems inherent to the structures are being considered by the group.  No conclusion will be reached however until the entire group can convene to finalize the decision.

 

Life Support:

Have been wading through books to cross reference and expose new information that should be considered in the living conditions for the crew.  Some medical analysis about what aberrations will be apparent to bone density lost due to certain deficiencies have been found, nothing that is proper diet and exercise wouldn’t prevent however.  Food quantities are rather ambiguous to find in amounts other than in caloric requirements.