Completely apart from the fact that I consider any current intention of flying a human to Mars about as necessary as donating to a "throw Paris Hilton a party" fund-raiser or as beneficial to humanity as driving an SUV, there is one aspect that intrigues me and which I have never seen mentioned in any of the television documentaries which are so enthusiastically commentated by human space travel advocates, e.g. Jesco von Puttkamer.
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Originally Posted by Ken G
... Then there's the physiological problems of being in zero or low gravity for 2 years. ...
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Originally Posted by Romanus
... 1.) Gravity. We have a fairly good idea of how to reduce bone loss and muscle weakening (vigorous, regular exercise), but even so a round trip to Mars will be (IIRC) the longest time any humans have spent in zero-G. Furthermore, we have no data on how how the human body will respond to 1/3 Martian gravity over a standard 500-day stay on the surface. ...
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Originally Posted by danscope
... You still have to beat your extended low gravity problem ...
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Coping with zero, resp. low gravity in space or on the surface are one aspect, but what do the astronauts do when they land. i.e. in the first days/weeks?
The long time Mir/ISS inhabitants need extensive assistance upon returing to Earth after ~6 months in orbit. They are given intensive medical attention and need weeks before they can walk freely.
When a group of astronauts lands on Mars, its members will have lots of work to do in a very short time. How are they supposed to do anything at all if they can barely crawl around? Could they really land in a vehicle that would allow them weeks to recoup before putting that first, all important footprint on Mar's surface? Without outside help, having just spent ~8 months in a space hull with the added psychological hardships?
Saying "it's a feeble creep for man, but a giant crawl for mankind" would be anticlimatic.
