Comments on: International Group Studies Mars Sample Return Mission

By: David Knisely

David Knisely — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:02:13 +0000

I hate to break it to those who consider a sample return from Mars a "crime", but we already *have* samples from Mars in the form of the SNC meteorites. Thus, any biological "barrier" has already been breached. Further sample returns could prove useful, but we still can do a lot remotely without having to get a sample home just yet.

By: Chuck Lam

Chuck Lam — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:38:25 +0000

To: James, Putting a science team on Mars will require a consortium of G8 governments to finance an expedition of this magnitude . The how, when and why should be the purview of academia. My visceral feel is a manned Mars trip will not happen in this or the next century, if ever. I don't believe the future problems will be technical as much as financial

By: James

James — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:27:35 +0000

Yeah Chuck, there was an article about the pros and cons of it a few weeks back. I wish we'd go down that route rather than this one.
But oh well, I'm just glad to be able to read about what we find for now. Maybe one day I'll be more involved in the decision-making.

By: Chuck Lam

Chuck Lam — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:51:07 +0000

To: James, No doubt a one-man-one-way expedition to the surface of Mars would be scientifically productive. However, to maximize the effort, a multi-discipline scientist would be required for a one-way Mars study. There might be a few moral issues to deal with; not to mention the herrendous cost for a venture of this magnitude.

By: James

James — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:10:04 +0000

I'm still voting for the one-man-one-way mission to Mars. That's the best way to explore the red planet.
And for those who are against sacrificing a human for discovery, get over it. Tons of people would happily volunteer (like myself). People go their whole lives without doing anything meaningful…I'd rather die and provide us with an exorbitant amount of information than live a full life and do nothing that's really all that beneficial. I can't think of a better way to go out, personally! Plus I'd be the first fossil on Mars.

By: TD

TD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:10:36 +0000

Thinking more about this, and reading the other posts, I think returning a sample to the earth should be considered a crime against humanity. I still think sending it directly to the ISS is reasonable, but the scientists there have to be prepared to stay a long time, and possibly make the ultimale sacrifice if there is any sort of breach. Assuming Martian life was found, there would have to be a series of experiments to see if the life might enter the Earth's ecosystem…even if it was not directly harmful to any specific organism here, if it thrived in our world, it could still cause massive ecological or environmental damage. I speculated about the use of the ISS for this purpose in "Imminent Discovery" – the more I think about it, it does seem like the iSS was destined for that purpose.

Really, though, discover life with rovers first before even a a sample return to ISS is allowed….but put in a little more funding to get a robust rover program. Some number like 12 biological detection rovers would make me feel confident of success, and land them in various regions, including where Sinton observed spectroscopic evidence of organic compounds, Dollfus observed seasonal shape and size change of small opaqe particles from polarization, and everyone observed seasonal color or shade change …and this would still be a tiny cost compared to sending and returning people.

Good Luck (ailing) Phoenix!

By: Richad Kirk

Richad Kirk — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:23:22 +0000

Why do we assume there will be a Mars ascent rocket? The samples, if properly packed, ought to be able to survive gun-like accelerations. If you can pack all the acceleration into the launch, then you don't have to use fuel to lift other fuel, rocket bits or anything. Mars has less mass and less atmosphere, so it should be possible to launch rifle-bullet sized samples with a fairly modest gun or other accelerator.

Is someone out there humming Jeff Wayne? It's not funny, you know…

By: Chuck Lam

Chuck Lam — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:51:25 +0000

Returning a Mars sample to earth or the ISS (as suggested above) for study makes more economic and practical sense than attempting to send a science team to Mars to do essentially the same thing. Just a reminder to all that it will require a consortium of governments to fund the billions required for a "Mars sample return" project. Sending a science team to Mars for a short stay may not occur for several centuries. It is doubtful there will ever be a sensible return on investment.

By: s0l

s0l — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:45:21 +0000

By the way, does anyone know if Nasa or somebody else gave an explanation about the Golf Ball Dome crater on

http://ida.wr.usgs.gov/html/m15012/m1501228.html

Thanks

By: s0l

s0l — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:12:47 +0000

I'd rather have samples back on earth than faulty robots on the surface of mars.
Phoenix is a joke, we've known for a long time there's ice on mars, viking was 30 years ago, nothing new under the sun…Just billions wasted for a machine that was poorly designed and that has no organics dectection instrument.

Bring samples back, spread them out to EU, US and Russian institutes for analysis and leave NASA out of it, at least for the PR part. The feeling i i get is that tere's clearly feet-dragging going on concerning the US exploration of mars…30 years, so little progress…This only feeds rumors and conspiration…

check http://www.marsanomalyresearch.com/

very interesting sites even though it sometimes make bold claims ; nonetheless beautifull detailed mars pictures from esa & nasa.

By: Maugrim

Maugrim — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:32:46 +0000

Brian,

I can't tell if you're serious or not, but thanks for the giggle.

By: Brian Smith

Brian Smith — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:13:39 +0000

This idea is crazy. There is know telling what could possible be brought back.Biological this to me ls a nightmare waiting to become reality. Earths rich oxygen levels could possible spring forth dormant life that has been on the surface of Mars with no oxygen the key element of our life not too mention water.Dust can't be controlled to an 100% level no matter the precautions took. We have only one Earth lets keep it that way this could be a complete disaster to man kind, If a predator occurred what if we do not have one to kill it back what if a disease was to brake out no control something that can not be controlled SOMEONE CALL THE UN THIS COULD BE A GLOBAL THREAT.

By: TD

TD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:31:30 +0000

I'd vote for a dozen 1/2 billion dollar rovers to study the heck out of life on Mars before I'd vote for a sample return to Earth…which, according to estimates I've read, would (surprisingly) cost more than that 6 billion for those 12 rovers.

Of course, I, and most of the other 6 billion inhabitants of this beautiful planet, don't get a vote! The way I see it is, if there's no life, we're just returning rocks – it's not that big a deal. …let the astrogeologists pay for it…If there is life, we'd better understand it before we bring it back to our only home. (Or, maybe you can take it to the ISS.)