Mars in this century: The Olympia Project

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6999958

Hyde, R. A.; Ishikawa, M. Y.; Wood, L. L.

Manned exploration of the inner solar system --- typified by a manned expedition to Mars --- this side of the indefinite future involves fitting a technical peg into the political hole. If Apollo-level resources are assumed unavailable for such exploratory programs, then non-Apollo means and methods must be employed, involving greater technical and human risks, or else such exploration must be deferred indefinitely. Sketched here is an example of such a relatively high-risk alternative, one which could land men on Mars in the next decade, and return them to earth. Two of its key features are a teleoperated rocket fuel-generating facility on the lunar surface and an interplanetary mission-staging space station at L{sub 4}, which would serve to enable a continuing solar system exploratory program, with annual mission commencements to points as distant as the Jovian moons. The estimated cost-to-execute this infrastructure-building manned Mars mission is $3 billion, with follow-on missions estimated to cost no more than $1 billion each. 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6999958
• Report Number(s): UCRL-98567; CONF-8804105--2; ON: DE90008356
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BUDGETS
COST ESTIMATION
EXPLORATION
MARS PLANET
PLANETS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOLAR SYSTEM