existing third party technologies and make this venture
a reality. Of course it remains to be seen if all these
components are proven and their program is viable.
The Training
Six teams of four will be selected for analogue
Mars Training and Testing until launch in 2022. Core
disciplines will be in component repair, self-sustenance
and medical training. Through 2016-20 missions will
be launched to establish technical viability, satellite
communication and deliver “intelligent” rovers. These
will build habitats using in-situ resources and remotely
sent living and life support units.
The Journey
Combined transit habitats and landers are the crews’
homes for the seven month voyage. Carrying supplies
of food and water, recycling technology and backups
are not needed. The crews’ will sleep, live and prepare
en route with radiation protection shelters provided.
Their experiences will be documented for the global
audience as “humanity’s greatest journey”.
The New Martians
Over 2023-24 the first crews aim to arrive at fully
functioning modular habitats where they will live, work
and settle permanently. Crew and habitat redundancy
is vital as the Mars One premise rules out abandonment.
Life at the habitat will be filmed and transmitted to
global audiences back on Earth with new crews arriving
periodically to expand the population and capability
of the growing settlement.
A New Home
At the outset, immediate obstacles are the inevitable
third party delays which will impact scheduling. The
technology gap for long term interplanetary transits
and permanent off world settlements is another
challenge. Plus the question remains, when will the
settlement become self-sustaining? This is important
given the ever increasing human lifespan and the
potential for offspring on Mars.
Yet, there are years of experience in analogue testing
environments such as Biosphere II and AMASE in 2006.
Lansdorp’s and Wielders’ plans may be possible on a
longer timescale. If we can adapt to live life in harsh
inhospitable environments, humanity will have taken its
first steps to becoming a multi-planetary species.
You may learn more about Mars One by visiting
http://www.mars-one.com/en.
Image: Bryan Versteeg/Mars One
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