APOD: Crossing Mars (2016 May 02)

[Chris Peterson]

One of the things I find most frustrating about seeing all these images from our amazing rovers is that there is no human there to say, "Hmmm, that looks interesting. Let's have a look." Sure, the rover team does some of that, but it's a major job to get the rover to go over there to have a look, where a human could just jog over and give it a poke, take a close-up photo and maybe a sample, and be back in 10 minutes. We need to start getting people there ASAP, trained scientist/explorers at first, of course.

Nope. Waste of money, and reduced value missions. Rovers do better. A human mission is going to be locked down to a base, probably in a geologically boring area, and is going to spend most of its time keeping the toilets working. And all the interesting things they see are likely to be- as in this case- rocks.

For the cost of a single manned mission we could send up 100 rovers, and produce probably 1000 times the scientific knowledge.

[neufer]

With pixels as big as that the human brain can see almost anything there. But I agree with Geck's guess, it is a rock. A pale coloured rock and therefore perhaps worth exploring, but just a rock.

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<<In December 1974, the crew of the cancelled Apollo 18 mission is informed that it will now proceed as a top secret Department of Defense (DoD) mission disguised as a satellite launch. While planting one of the detectors, the pair take moon rock samples. After returning to Liberty, the pair hear noises outside and a camera captures a small rock moving nearby. Anderson finds a rock sample on the floor of Liberty despite having secured the samples. During further lunar exploration they discover footprints that lead them to a bloodstained, functioning Soviet LK lander, and a dead cosmonaut in a nearby crater. Walker queries Houston about the Soviet presence, but he is told only to continue with the mission. The following day the pair find that the flag they had planted is missing. Their mission complete, the crew prepares to leave, but the launch is aborted when Liberty suffers violent shaking. An inspection reveals extensive damage to Liberty and non-human tracks that Walker cites as evidence of extraterrestrial life. Walker feels something moving inside his spacesuit and is horrified as a spider-like creature crawls across the inside of his helmet. Walker disappears from view and Anderson finds him unconscious outside of Liberty. Walker later denies the events. A wound is discovered on Walker's chest; Anderson removes a moon rock embedded within him.>>

One of the things I find most frustrating about seeing all these images from our amazing rovers is that there is no human there to say, "Hmmm, that looks interesting. Let's have a look." Sure, the rover team does some of that, but it's a major job to get the rover to go over there to have a look, where a human could just jog over and give it a poke, take a close-up photo and maybe a sample, and be back in 10 minutes.

[enemy]

Within my memory (I am 46) the governments of the "space states" put aside landing on Mars oftentimes. And continue to do it all the time promoting the cost of projects. A new hope is in private traders and use of various robots - from rolling after wind agents to the mules or androids. And only in a finale man. Remote research from earth soon itself will exhaust. Planetary geology and glaciology and these become the interesting themes of research it is better to do in place.

[rstevenson]

One of the things I find most frustrating about seeing all these images from our amazing rovers is that there is no human there to say, "Hmmm, that looks interesting. Let's have a look." Sure, the rover team does some of that, but it's a major job to get the rover to go over there to have a look, where a human could just jog over and give it a poke, take a close-up photo and maybe a sample, and be back in 10 minutes. We need to start getting people there ASAP, trained scientist/explorers at first, of course.

Nope. Waste of money, and reduced value missions. Rovers do better. A human mission is going to be locked down to a base, probably in a geologically boring area, and is going to spend most of its time keeping the toilets working. And all the interesting things they see are likely to be- as in this case- rocks.

For the cost of a single manned mission we could send up 100 rovers, and produce probably 1000 times the scientific knowledge.

Your logic is unassailable Chris. But when have humans ever taken on tasks for purely logical reasons? People want to go to Mars and elsewhere "out there", so they will. Relax and enjoy the trip.

Rob

[Chris Peterson]

One of the things I find most frustrating about seeing all these images from our amazing rovers is that there is no human there to say, "Hmmm, that looks interesting. Let's have a look." Sure, the rover team does some of that, but it's a major job to get the rover to go over there to have a look, where a human could just jog over and give it a poke, take a close-up photo and maybe a sample, and be back in 10 minutes. We need to start getting people there ASAP, trained scientist/explorers at first, of course.

Nope. Waste of money, and reduced value missions. Rovers do better. A human mission is going to be locked down to a base, probably in a geologically boring area, and is going to spend most of its time keeping the toilets working. And all the interesting things they see are likely to be- as in this case- rocks.

For the cost of a single manned mission we could send up 100 rovers, and produce probably 1000 times the scientific knowledge.

Your logic is unassailable Chris. But when have humans ever taken on tasks for purely logical reasons? People want to go to Mars and elsewhere "out there", so they will. Relax and enjoy the trip.

I'm hoping some rich guy will do it. It's the use of tax money I don't appreciate, since that same money won't be going to something scientifically useful.

[BMAONE23]

If they truly want to see if we can survive there (not likely without pressurized habitats) They should send a Payload with the next explorer project that includes a water supply and seeds to show we Can or Can't grow food there. The lander would need a small dome with internal mechanisms and camera that could be placed on the surface with an internal planting experiment to unfold during the period of the mission.

[geckzilla]

Just think if you could walk over and pick up everything that looked "interesting" from these photos and find out they aren't anything you were imagining at all. They're all just rocks, rocks, rocks and more rocks. No pixels to zoom in, just high quality rocks seen with one's own eyes. I'd take off my helmet and end my miserable existence.

[BMAONE23]

Especially if it were a One Way Trip

[rstevenson]

Just think if you could walk over and pick up everything that looked "interesting" from these photos and find out they aren't anything you were imagining at all. They're all just rocks, rocks, rocks and more rocks. No pixels to zoom in, just high quality rocks seen with one's own eyes. I'd take off my helmet and end my miserable existence.

You're not a geologist, I'm guessing.

Rob

[geckzilla]

Just think if you could walk over and pick up everything that looked "interesting" from these photos and find out they aren't anything you were imagining at all. They're all just rocks, rocks, rocks and more rocks. No pixels to zoom in, just high quality rocks seen with one's own eyes. I'd take off my helmet and end my miserable existence.

You're not a geologist, I'm guessing.

Even geologists must have their limits. There's probably not any buried hydrocarbons for them to search for on Mars.