Human round trip to Mars: Six months and radiation-safe

Conference · Fri Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5018376

Lazareth, O W; Schmidt, E; Ludewig, H

We propose an interplanetary transportation system which will provide a round trip for humans traveling from Earth to Mars and back. The journey will be relatively fast and relatively safe from radiation dosage. The basic concept consists of four space vehicles. First, a comparatively heavily shielded, large spacecraft (LC{number sign}1), which usually is unmanned, is put into a non-stop heliocentric orbit which closely passes Earth and Mars, in that order. Second, but during the same time frame, a second large spacecraft (LC{number sign}2), which will be used for the return trip, is launched into an orbit which closely passes Mars and Earth in turn. Third, but also during the same time period, an unmanned cargo vessel, containing LH and other supplies, is sent to Mars and lands before any humans depart. Fourth, a comparatively small spacecraft (SC) carrying the crew is launched from the Earth's moon (Moon), travels to a rendezvous point with LC{number sign}1 and couples to it. The crew transfers to the relative comfort and safety of the LC. When they reach Mars, the SC decouples from LC{number sign}1 and lands on Mars, while LC{number sign}1 continues in its orbit. The crew spends about four weeks on Mars, during which time the SC is re-supplied with materials from the cargo ship which was previously sent to Mars. The crew then leaves Mars in the SC and proceeds to a rendezvous pint with LC {number sign}2 and couples to it. The crew transfers to it and travels back to the vicinity of the Earth. Then the crew transfers back to the SC and returns to the Moon. 5 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5018376
• Report Number(s): BNL-46287; CONF-920104--6; ON: DE91014798
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220800 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
640100 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DOSES
EARTH PLANET
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MARS PLANET
NONMETALS
PLANETS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATIONS
SOLAR PARTICLES
SOLAR RADIATION
SPACE
SPACE FLIGHT
SPACE TRANSPORT
SPACE VEHICLES
STELLAR RADIATION
TRANSPORT
VEHICLES