Re: Mars Viewmaster

On Apr 4, 9:50 am, American <samuelran...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:34 pm, Totorkon <aertr...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:





If I'm not mistaken, Robert Zubrin (Martin Marietta) proposed an
inexpensive solution to Mars using the "Mars direct" approach, that
would have to "do away" with the space station(s), moon bases, and
other expensive NASA infrastructure, and have the ability to achieve 2
or 3 manned Mars missions.

Zubrin also suggested that an unmanned robotic vessel, using a
chemical laboratory, could manufacture methane and oxygen, that could
be used for rocket fuel from the atmosphere of Mars.

I guess the space station wins in the short term, but what about the
long term?

American

Right, you already said that. - but the problem seems more a lack of
infrastructure-based, manned return-trip feasible, so I can see how
Zubrin's robotic fuel manufacturing depot would have to precede such a
venture. It's much (read: CHEAPER) that way.

-

Those that have their jobs in place already with the space station
could be evaluated based upon their experience with laboratory systems
modeling in the Martian environment: 95% CO2, 2% Ni, 1% A, 0.3% O2,
temperatures ranging from 30 degrees to -75 degrees centigrade, ~24.5
hour day, and notorious dust storms.

I'm envisioning masses of AI telerobotic androids assembling human
habitats modularly in REAL TIME, as well as the fuel depots - all of
this precursor to a manned expedition.

American

Sorry, accidental send.
Zubrin's plan is to send six tons of LH2 and a nuclear reactor similar
in weight.  If robotic prospectors were to find ice at a shallow depth
at mid latitudes, 20000 Kwh could generate a ton of H2.  An area of
100 m2 PVs would weigh less than a ton and generate that amount of
energy over a year.

This would be a milestone, the first use of an extraterrestial
resource.

That is the key, to be able to "send" something cheaply
enough that accomplishes more R&D for the buck, while
exploiting what the Martian environment has to offer
for the return trip. Here's an alternative you might
like to consider:

Ionized low energy gas plasmas have the ability to
expand a magnetic bubble around an object in order
to provide a solar wind "push" that would give the
magnetic bubble "acceleration" in the direction of
the solar wind.

A 75 km. wide magnetosphere at 1 A.U. from the sun
could acelerate the magnetic bubble up to 400 km/sec,
which is equal to 900,000 mph, or 250 miles per second.
The "engine" for such a device as this would consist
of a 90 foot diameter coil of large gauge enameled wire
charged with 1000 amp current pulses. Ionized gas or
plasma injected 500 km/sec at equi-distant radial
locations near the coil would immediately "expand" the
magnetic bubble to tens of kilometers wide, causing the
ionic "wind" to drive the vessel - much like a sailing
ship with each "rudder" representing one side of the
coil where the ionic plasma gets injected.

My belief is that a project of this sort would act
as a "crossover" technology to electrogravitic. In an
electrogravitic craft, the "coils" circumscribe the
disk, while the central hub functions as the ion
generator. Each of the coils control the amount of
lift programmed by the magnitude and direction that
the charge moves in to. In the magnetic "sail" the coil
itself pulls the solar ionic wind behind it, in order
to force the "bubble" into the direction of the "wind".

Retro and/or attitude adjustments can be made by de-
magnetizing sections of the bubble by using a sectional,
charge-conjugate-capable coil to power the "bubble".

The challenges of assembling a design like this can be
overcome by using assorted telerobotics to achieve the
construction. There are numerous projects already under-
way having to do with robotic assembly in space. (e.g.
Robotic Assembly and Maintenance of Space Solar Power
Facilities (including free flyers, fixed manipulators,
walking sticks), Development of a Truss joint for robotic
assembly of space structures, Robot Assembly Continues
During Third Spacewalk, and End Effectors / On-Orbit
Assembly & Servicing (Google "MHRE program" has more
on this), just to name a few. Here are the locations of
the aforementioned titles, in respective order:

www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/projects/skyworker/data/TIM1-Final.ppthttp://www.cfnews13.com/Space/DestinationSpace/2008/3/17/third_spacew...http://www.honeybeerobotics.com/eva-compatible.htmlhttp://pdf.aiaa.org/preview/CDReadyMSPACE06_1393/PV2006_7428.pdf

A project like the magnetosphere could be used for
interplanetary transit instead of the LH2 type, but
at the same time utilize the LH2 for orientation and
retro power, and serve as an attitude stability and
landing, Later on, after the landing party completes
their mission, and the fuel depots have performed their
function to refuel the main propulsion tanks, the former
retros could be readjusted for main propulsion, and the
entire team prepares to head back into earth orbit.

- Just one of the possible scenarios that IMO, makes
  a mission like this a whole lot cheaper.

American- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mars may have lost its atmosphere for lack of a strong magnetosphere,
so there is some effective pressure there, but I have never read
anyone suggest it as a form of propulsion.
.

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