Eight months is brutal. Yet that isn't even one leg of a round trip Mars mission, unless nuclear propulsion is used. Still a giant problem we have to figure out. We are not colonizing the solar system on chemical rockets alone.

[–] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Unless someone nasa/or musk, starts looking at the effects of centrifugal gravity on long term health.

Its just not going to happen. Atm anyone travelling to Mars is unlikely to be fit to explore by landing. Given the trip length.

But we have understood centrifugal artificial gravity since before space flight, and planned to experiment on iss.

But cheep politics has not bothered.

[–] brlemworld@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Even if you do make gravity, there is still not enough electromagnetic shielding.

[–] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 1 points 3 weeks ago

Yep. That is more about getting weight into space. As we know water can provide protection.

But the issue of moving water from earth to space then building a 2 layered craft strong enough to surrou d passengers with a foot or more of water. While doable theoretically. Is just a huge huge task.

If mankind is seriose about such. Robotic collection of ice from space is more practice. Moving it towards earth using it to create hydrogen and oxygen slowly via solar. Then using that to move the water itself into earth near orbit. From there building a vessel able to rotate and protect occupants from radiation etc would be possible.

But seriosly the amount of work involved. Mars really is not the best place to go. Once humanity has developed the ability to generate graverty. Confirmed mankind can live is centrifugal generated enviroments. And developed to robotics to move ice and asteroids into orbit.

Honestly building O'Neil station like structures would be healthier then trying to live in 1/3 g of Mars anyway. Mars is worth learning about. But musks population plan is not really the best way to make humanity less at risk of planetary loss.

[–] FishLake@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

We don’t just need better propulsion. The human body needs gravity. Not to mention shielding from radiation. Both of those things are doable, but I doubt there’s the political will in Washington to keep astronauts safe. If China planned on sending people to Mars in the future then America would strap a few people into a rocket propelled shoebox and honor the completely broken human when/if they get home.

[–] TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org 0 points 3 weeks ago

Maybe they can just tether two ships together and have them rotate around a common CoG like a bucket swinging around on a string. Wouldn't be that expensive. The radiation I'm not sure, maybe they can create a "safe room" on the ship surrounded by their water reserves.

The tether thing is so simple I'm surprised it wasn't in use decades ago. I think I remember them confirming it being a viable option on Gemini when they tested it being tethered to the test vehicle.