.

Mr. K. NASA/GRC/LTP

Part 3

The Future

Preliminary Activities

Imagine that you are part of a team planning for an eventual human landing on Mars. You require a

knowledge of the history of space exploration. Use an encyclopedia or

the web sites referenced at the end of this lesson to be certain that you have

all necessary information.

1. You are the principal investigator for a precursor sample return mission. How would you handle rocks brought

back from Mars? Remember, they MIGHT contain living Martian

organisms!

2. You are a ‘geographer’ responsible for planning a landing site. What

concerns might govern the decisions that you make (e.g., interesting

landforms such as the Mariner’s Valley vs uncertainties in surface topology)?

3. You are a nutritionist planning for a piloted, 2-year mission. What

concerns might govern the decisions that you make? (e.g., Can you

transport enough water and food to sustain a crew for 2 years? Are there alternatives to taking the water and

food with you?)

4. As mission administrator, you must recommend a series of steps to achieve an eventual human landing on Mars. Prioritize the following milestones in the order you think best. Eliminate those you consider

unnecessary.•Martian sample return

•Cargo mission (unpiloted)•Manned Lunar outpost

•Ground-based research in human survivability

•Pathfinder-type rovers, autonomous landers, planes, other robotics•Earth orbiting space station(s)

•Resource mining and processing (e.g., H2O)•Robotic exploration of Mars

•Piloted mission(s)

Step 1: An Outpost in Space...

All in a day’s work!

Docking ... Departure ...

Moon

Mars

Step 2: Return to the Moon

Old Frien

d

Outpost

Lava Tube!

Step 3: And Onward to Mars

Arrival...

Morning Terminator -

Tarsus

Dry River Beds

Could there have been life on Mars?

What might await you in the

Martian dry river valleys?

““One small step…”

Setting up Solar Collectors

Rappelling at Dawn

Dust Storm!

Outposton

Mars

Sunrise, Sunset...

Follow-Up Activities

1. Make a list of physical and mental requirements necessary to become a

Martian astronaut.

2. If you could go to the surface of Mars, what specialty (science) areas might interest you most? (Martian

‘geology’? Local meteorology? Etc. …)

3. If you remained in orbit, what specialty (science) areas might

interest you most? (Cartography? Planetary-scale meteorology? Etc. …)

4. If you could go to the surface, what specialty (engineering/technical)

areas might interest you most? (Power generation? Water hydrolysis? Etc. …)

5. If you remained in orbit, what specialty (engineering/technical) areas might interest you most?

(Spacecraft navigation and control? Communications? Etc. …)

6. If you remained behind on Earth (as most of us will!), what specialty

(science or engineering/technical) areas might interest you most?

Web Sites for Further Exploration

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/PAO/html/marspath.htm

http://marsnt3.jpl.nasa.gov

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/

http://mars.sdsc.edu/mgs/index.html

joseph.c.kolecki@grc.nasa.gov