OT: What happens in event of a Mars Mission mishap?

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Ok with all the talk of a Mars Mission in The Not too Distant Future I can't help but wonder what wuld happen to those handful of astronauts in the event of an unforseen mishap on their way to Mars....let's say their half way and an Apollo 13 type incident happens stranding them some 20 million miles out ....If anyone has any insights I would love to hear them .

[rkmsuf]

uh, they die?

[cthomer5000]

they likely die. Otherwise if they are just stranded there, but have the means to produce food.... well... i guess they try to live until we can go get them (probably 10+ years later).

[HornedFrog Purple]

I do not know if the policy still stands but many years ago NASA used to give suicide pills. I am sure there is some procedure now that accompishes the same thing.

[rkmsuf]

I do not know if the policy still stands but many years ago NASA used to give suicide pills. I am sure there is some procedure now that accompishes the same thing.

How about opening the door and jumping out into space?

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

No I was wondering if there are protocols out there ....I know that during the 69 Moon Landings that in the event of beingmarooned thNasa would have just turned off all commo with the stranded astronauts and Pres. Johnson would have spolen to the nation about the 3 heroic earthmen .......I would think that in the even of a catastrophy similar protocols would be followed .

[HornedFrog Purple]

That would be excruciating.

The policy from what I understand originated during the Cold War in case the astronauts ended up in Communist hands via capsule reentry mishaps.

[Maple Leafs]

I'd imagine that the astronauts would probably accept their fate with dignity and bravery. I'd also imagine that the rest of the country wouldn't, and the space program would be set back by decades.

Not to mention that the left would start painting signs calling Bush an "astronaut murderer", and the right would work on finding a way for Haliburton to make money off the whole thing.

[cthomer5000]

No I was wondering if there are protocols out there ....I know that during the 69 Moon Landings that in the event of beingmarooned thNasa would have just turned off all commo with the stranded astronauts and Pres. Johnson would have spolen to the nation about the 3 heroic earthmen .......I would think that in the even of a catastrophy similar protocols would be followed .

Seems a little harsh, eh?

If something goes wrong in the journey to or from Mars, the guys are completely screwed.

If they are stranded there, they should have the ability to produce food while there (if not, this whole mission basically isn't possible). At that point, they are just marooned I guess. I mean, we could theoretically launch a rescue mission... but I think we're talking about that happening years later, if at all.

[rkmsuf]

That would be excruciating.

The policy from what I understand originated during the Cold War in case the astronauts ended up in Communist hands via capsule reentry mishaps.

Somehow this wasn't covered in Apollo 13...

What exactly are we looking for here if something goes wrong with a hypothetical mission? Rescue is probably out so the only protocol would be "oops, sorry..."

[Easy Mac]

They find an inaminate carbon rod, shove it in the door, and pray that the ants don't kill them.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

For anyone interested here is President Nixon's contingency speech in the event of a failed Mission .http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/071899/new_nixon.html

[HornedFrog Purple]

Somehow this wasn't covered in Apollo 13...

What exactly are we looking for here if something goes wrong with a hypothetical mission? Rescue is probably out so the only protocol would be "oops, sorry..."

The shuttle now has a self-destruct mechanism. The Apollo 13 capsule didn't have one, I would surmise the pills were given in the case they were captured.

A manned Mars mission would have to be self sustaining. I guess in case of navigational error or mechanical mishap they would be screwed because nothing could catch up to them. They could float around until they hit something.

As far as covering it up, I highly doubt it would be as simple as it was 30 years ago.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Of course if something like that would never happen cuz all the parts would proudly be ''Made in America'' and if something that catastrophic would hapen we would call on top movie directors like Bruckheimer to assemble a crew of roughnecks to mount a rescue mission and then everything will be fine.

[Franklinnoble]

I guess you're assuming that the warp drive is offline, impulse engines are unresponsive, the transporters are down, and there are no shuttlecraft available. That seems like an awful lot to go wrong all at one time.

[The Afoci]

I guess you're assuming that the warp drive is offline, impulse engines are unresponsive, the transporters are down, and there are no shuttlecraft available. That seems like an awful lot to go wrong all at one time.

We are talking worst case scenario.

[Easy Mac]

I'd just grab the continuum transfunctioner.

[Franklinnoble]

We are talking worst case scenario.

Are we? No mention was made of the toothless koalas.

[rkmsuf]

Who the heck is going to want to go on this mission anyway?

"Yeah we're sending you to a place where, uh well, there's nothing there. We've combed the planet with rovers and yeah, it's all rocks. Land, plant your little flag, grab some dirt and hopefully we can bring you back."

[The Afoci]

Are we? No mention was made of the toothless koalas.

If you have been to Mars, this isn't all that bad.

[Fonzie]

Who the heck is going to want to go on this mission anyway?

"Yeah we're sending you to a place where, uh well, there's nothing there. We've combed the planet with rovers and yeah, it's all rocks. Land, plant your little flag, grab some dirt and hopefully we can bring you back."

William "Rocket Man" Shatner.

[Franklinnoble]

Who the heck is going to want to go on this mission anyway?

"Yeah we're sending you to a place where, uh well, there's nothing there. We've combed the planet with rovers and yeah, it's all rocks. Land, plant your little flag, grab some dirt and hopefully we can bring you back."

Sounds a lot like Arizona... and last I checked, Phoenix was the 6th largest city in the United States.

[sterlingice]

They find an inaminate carbon rod, shove it in the door, and pray that the ants don't kill them.
(this is the second time in a week I've gotten to quote this episode)
Kent: Ladies and gentlemen, er, we've just lost the picture, but, uh, what we've seen speaks for itself. The Corvair spacecraft has been taken over -- "conquered", if you will -- by a master race of giant space ants. It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

SI

[Chubby]

(this is the second time in a week I've gotten to quote this episode)
Kent: Ladies and gentlemen, er, we've just lost the picture, but, uh, what we've seen speaks for itself. The Corvair spacecraft has been taken over -- "conquered", if you will -- by a master race of giant space ants. It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

SI


I always liked how he said that too... "One thing is for certain......... there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here"

[Dutch]

I'll go.

[astralhaze]

Why the hell not? Has to be better than Cleveland, right?

[mauchow]

Now, just to get a little more extreme with another "WHAT IF" question:

What if they met Artificial Intelligence(an alien) while 'out there'.

Now, I'd shit my pants and say don't kill me please.

[astralhaze]

I just hope they don't find any chest thumpers out there.

[JeeberD]

Now, just to get a little more extreme with another "WHAT IF" question:

What if they met Artificial Intelligence(an alien) while 'out there'.

Now, I'd shit my pants and say don't kill me please.

Aliens have artificial intelligence? Wow, and I thought that they were naturally smart...

[Coffee Warlord]

Who the heck is going to want to go on this mission anyway?

"Yeah we're sending you to a place where, uh well, there's nothing there. We've combed the planet with rovers and yeah, it's all rocks. Land, plant your little flag, grab some dirt and hopefully we can bring you back."

I'd go in a heartbeat. Once in a lifetime experience there, bucko. That whole conquer the unknown thing.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Watch the movie "Mission To Mars"

[BigJohn&TheLions]

The full text of In Event of Moon Disaster


24 January, 2003. Richard Nixon had several contingency speeches prepared for the moon landing in 1969. This speech was released to the public in 1999. When will they release the In Event of Nuclear Bombardment of Cambodia speech? An excerpt by William Safire.

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.

These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.

They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.

In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.

[rkmsuf]

I'd go in a heartbeat. Once in a lifetime experience there, bucko. That whole conquer the unknown thing.

Once in a lifetime chance to see red dirt close up.

Conquering the unknown would be landing on a planet we don't have trillions of pictures of. Building a base on the moon seems to have much more merit to the space program and future exploration...

[corbes]

How about opening the door and jumping out into space?

That's the correct move if you are Roger Wilco, space janitor.

[cthomer5000]

Aliens have artificial intelligence? Wow, and I thought that they were naturally smart...

An alien and a robot on the surface of Mars would be a pretty frightening experience.

[Ksyrup]

An alien and a robot on the surface of Mars would be a pretty frightening experience.Quiksand would kick both of their asses in FOF.

[rkmsuf]

An alien and a robot on the surface of Mars would be a pretty frightening experience.

Wouldn't we be the alien on Mars?

[panerd]

Who the heck is going to want to go on this mission anyway?

"Yeah we're sending you to a place where, uh well, there's nothing there. We've combed the planet with rovers and yeah, it's all rocks. Land, plant your little flag, grab some dirt and hopefully we can bring you back."

Seems a little more noble and interesting than climbing a mountain and how many people do this everyday?

[rkmsuf]

Quiksand would kick both of their asses in FOF.

On the surface of Mars who would win? A robotic Martian or an oxygenless Ditka?

[Desnudo]

I think that the public would be a lot more accepting of losing astronauts in the attempt of expanding our horizons rather than losing them in the "how do ferns react to the vacuum of space" type experiments that NASA has been running for the past twenty years.

If safety is a concern, then send a monkey first :).

[Glengoyne]

What Happens in the event of a Mars mishap?

If you listened to that extremely personable asshat Ron Dittemore in the aftermath of the Columbia "accident", the same thing that happens if any incident occurs after they leave the ground. The astronauts die.

It's a good thing he wasn't around for Apollo 13.

[Turd Ferguson]

They find an inaminate carbon rod, shove it in the door, and pray that the ants don't kill them.

I'll handle this one Easy Mac.


The only danger in space is if we land on the terrible Planet of the Apes...wait a minute...Statue of Liberty...that was our planet! You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!

[robbgmaier]

can you hear me major tom?

the suicide pills....i think that was a contingency for the craft being able to make it home, but not having enough oxygen to keep everyone alive that long.....someone going to have to take themselves out so the others can breathe....i think there was a movie that had that as one of the twists, but one of the guys just went out of the craft to "effect repairs". I wish I could remember the name, i can see the main actors...i think gene hackman was in it..and the guy from the old fugitive

[sterlingice]

On the surface of Mars who would win? A robotic Martian or an oxygenless Ditka?
Ehhh... Ditka 62-7

SI

[Castlerock]

Building a base on the moon seems to have much more merit to the space program and future exploration...

Why is that?

The moon is mostly a dead end. It would be a great place to build a telescope, and someday extract helium-3 (if we ever figure out fusion) but not much else.

Mars, on the other hand is far from a red desert which we have zillions of pictures of. Beneath its sand is water (in the form of permafrost). Lots of it, in fact. Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon-dioxide, providing enormous supplies of the two most important biological elements for plant life. Mars has nitrogen, all the metals, silicon, sulfur, phosphorus, inert gases, and other raw materials needed to create not only life but an advanced technological civilization.

We may even find that microbial life once existed on Mars.

[rkmsuf]

Why is that?

The moon is mostly a dead end. It would be a great place to build a telescope, and someday extract helium-3 (if we ever figure out fusion) but not much else.

Mars, on the other hand is far from a red desert which we have zillions of pictures of. Beneath its sand is water (in the form of permafrost). Lots of it, in fact. Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon-dioxide, providing enormous supplies of the two most important biological elements for plant life. Mars has nitrogen, all the metals, silicon, sulfur, phosphorus, inert gases, and other raw materials needed to create not only life but an advanced technological civilization.

We may even find that microbial life once existed on Mars.

Wouldn't a moon base be the basis for a Mars colony?

[Castlerock]

I don't know why we need a moon-base to go to Mars.

[rkmsuf]

I don't know why we need a moon-base to go to Mars.

I thought the logical progression was space station - moon colony - Mars colony...

[Castlerock]

I haven't heard any good arguments that a lunar base is needed before a Mars base.

[WSUCougar]

http://www.burg-halle.de/~strapaze/pics/marsatac.jpg

[Glengoyne]

...
Mars, on the other hand is far from a red desert which we have zillions of pictures of. Beneath its sand is water (in the form of permafrost). Lots of it, in fact.....
Damn man you shoulda told somebody at NASA. You coulda saved us a bundle.

[Dutch]

North Korea thinks it's a silly idea. They think allowing people to dream past the realizations of "Grow Food, Eat Food" is repulsive and therefore the root cause of why they are all starving to death. ;)

[pskov]

I haven't heard any good arguments that a lunar base is needed before a Mars base.
If anything seriously goes wrong on the Moon it a short 3 day or so trip in either direction. Not too difficult to get people/supplies in or out. For Mars it would be around a 3 month trip and that would be in the perfect alignment, more likley around 6 months. That makes it much more difficult to send stuff there (e.g. replacement parts) if anything f's up. The closeness of the Moon means it is ideal for an 'ironing out' mission, just to prepare the technology, also a (relatively) inexpensive way of proving to Congress that the whole idea of a permanent base is feasible.

[EagleFan]

I don't think there would be much of a problem getting people that want to go on that mission. I would love something like that. How cool would that be, to be able to say that you stood on another planet? :cool:

But don't we have to make it to the moon before we try Mars? ;)

[Kodos]

Ehhh. Mars. It's a pretty enough place, but it does get old quickly. "Another game of volleyball?..."

[cthomer5000]

maybe we shouldn't go, I don't want to anger them.

http://www.essex1.com/people/zelda/mars01.gif

[Kodos]

Ack-gack-ack! "We come in peace!"

[Aardvark]

The shuttle now has a self-destruct mechanism. The Apollo 13 capsule didn't have one, I would surmise the pills were given in the case they were captured.

A manned Mars mission would have to be self sustaining. I guess in case of navigational error or mechanical mishap they would be screwed because nothing could catch up to them. They could float around until they hit something.

As far as covering it up, I highly doubt it would be as simple as it was 30 years ago.

The shuttle only had self-destruct systems on the SRBs (Solid Rocket Boosters) for purposes of range safety. The orbiter itself doesn't.

The suicide pills are an urban myth.

NASA would not have cut communications, since they, and the astronauts, would have spent all available time trying to figure out how to fix whatever went wrong.

A Mars mission would not be self-supporting, but it would be large. Water would be recycled, but it would probably take less weight to just bring along the two or three tons of food and oxygen required for each crewmember.

[Comey]

Apparently the Rover got wind of this thread, and is taking it personally.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/22/spirit.contact/index.html

[BigJohn&TheLions]

It has begun. The rover "Spirit" is dead. The Martians are pissed. We have desecrated their most sacred temple. May God have mercy on our souls.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!