The Series Mars Rising on Discovery Science Channel

from JoeUser Forums

Sorry I'm a bit late with this recommendation, but if you have the opportunity to catch any of the series (6 episodes total I believe, probably will be repeated numerous times as just about everything on the Discovery channels winds up that way) Mars Rising please do.

It is an indepth look at the perils and technical hurdles that stand in the way of manned space flight to Mars.  A completely fascinating look things average citizens wouldn't even consider as issues that have either kept us from trying to go to Mars or that just wouldn't expect to be as big an issue as they very well could be.  Space sickness, radiation poisoning, bone and muscle loss, keeping enough water available, hygiene issues, technical issues like how to actually power the space craft to and from Mars and much more.

After watching the series you should have a new found respect for the astronauts that may take the honor of going to Mars and the engineers and scientists that will create the equipment that will take them there.

2,001 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sounds quite interesting.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Sounds quite interesting.

The human waste disposal was quite shocking, in more ways than one.  Consider for a second where the astronauts get their H2O from.  <eek>!

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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think it’s too soon to think about sending a manned voyage to Mars. Robotics can accomplish everything we are capable of doing there now. The design limitations on a terrestrial launched mission to mars would make the odds of success slim. We need to beef up the space station to serve as a star port, where sections of spacecraft could be shuttled up and assembled in orbit. There we could build a much larger spacecraft with plenty of shielding against micro meteors, radiation and plenty of fuel. You would also need two landing modules in case of whatever and a fully equipped lab in the orbital.

If we’re going to spend billions on this venture we need to make the most of it. At least make a few practice runs to the moon.

We definitely need to get back to the business of exploration but starting of with a tragedy would just be a big setback.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Actually I think we should have landed on Mars a decade ago. Spirit of adventure and all that rot.