Re: Straight to Mars?

From: Jon S. Berndt (jsb.at.hal-pc-dot.org)
Date: 11/11/04 

Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 06:59:57 -0600

Henry Spencer" <henry@spsystems.net> wrote in message

> Jon S. Berndt <jsb.at.hal-pc-dot.org> wrote:
> >With that said, however, I think the biggest drawback to going to Mars
would
> >be the psychological struggle. It's hard enough for me to be across a
single
> >country for a few days, away from my wife and children. I can't imagine
> >being tens of millions of miles away, with no physical possibility of a
> >quick return - or even any return at all...

[Earl: See Henry's response below for how to respond to a post like mine.
You won't see the word "Idiot" anywhere.]

> Ask someone who's wintered over at an Antarctic base. If you start
> feeling homesick after winter has closed in, that's tough, because you
> aren't going anywhere for several months. Not even medical-evacuation
> emergencies can get a plane in there in winter.
>
> Such situations have been faced *many* times in human history already, and
> people have, on the whole, coped fairly well. In the era of settlement of
> the West and mass immigration to North America, it wasn't at all uncommon
> for the husband to arrive first (on a one-way ticket) with the hope that
> in a year or two, he could make enough money to bring his family over...
> and not the slightest possibility that he'd see them again otherwise.

I agree and am aware of the earth analogues to a Mars space flight. However,
there are some major differences that can't be discounted which I believe
make them quite different. How may people are based at typical Antarctic
stations? For a hypothetical Mars station? From what I recall seeing,
Antarctic stations are little communities under protective cover. There is
even a machine shop at one I've seen coverage of. It's quite well equipped.
They are well supplied before night falls with an abundance of food. The
outside environment is frigid, but the air is breathable, at atmospheric
pressure, and they are surrounded by fresh water. They can communicate
interactively with friends and family (no time delay), are on the same
planet, and can be evacuated come daylight by any number of aircraft
(redundant sources of evacuation).

I appreciate the comparisons made with historical analogues. I hope that we
make the journey to Mars at some point in the near future. My point was (is)
that the psychological effects of separation from family (friends ...
people) and even separation from the planet where everyone else is for
perhaps years poses some possibly serious problems to be overcome.

Jon

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Straight to Mars?
    ... Jon S. Berndt wrote: ... >With that said, however, I think the biggest drawback to going to Mars would ... >be the psychological struggle. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Straight to Mars?
    ... For a hypothetical Mars station? ... >Antarctic stations are little communities under protective cover. ... are below the horizon for most of Antarctica. ... And remember that interactive long-distance communication wasn't available ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Look what I stumbled across...
    ... during school was manning the base Mars station once every four days. ... base club stations too - all Collins equipment of various types. ... I stayed with MARS for a long time after, but with the advent of new ... I remember living in the sticks in western NY and listening to AM late ...
    (rec.boats)
  • Re: NASA Helios 14 motor electric airplane (wing?)
    ... Firstm NASA's job involves testing new aviaition technologies and ... they are also thinking about Mars. ... Not many gas ... stations. ...
    (rec.aviation.military)