The discussion revolves around questions to pose to astronauts, aerospace engineers, and astrophysicists regarding Mars space missions and related topics. Participants are interested in various aspects of space travel, including propulsion systems and the implications of solar activity on missions.
Participants have raised various questions and topics of interest, but there is no consensus on specific answers or viewpoints regarding propulsion systems or the impact of solar activity on missions.
Participants reference previous discussions and express uncertainty about the implications of solar activity on mission planning, indicating a need for more information on these topics.
I did a little reading on this. Thanks.Janitor said: Some member asked this a few weeks ago: What sort of propulsion system is likely to be used for the first manned Martian mission? I wonder what they would say. Chemical propellants that are already in use today would be my guess. But then there's solar sails, ion propulsion, fission heating of an inert liquid, matter/antimatter, and probably several other possibilities.
Good question.steve stillman said: Was this mission kinda nervewracking due to the current solar maximum and the not knowing if a big solar flair would come up during the flight? Were the computers and memories sheilded for a worst case solar wind?