Space is hard, but the human race has achieved some impressive feats over the past few decades. Men on the moon, a laboratory circling the Earth, exploration of the surface of Mars, and the list goes on. However, the task of getting people to Mars, let alone allowing them to stay and survive there, is extremely hard due to all the problems that need to be overcome first.
Well-known former engineer, astronaut, and man on the Moon Buzz Aldrin, suggested something rather radical this week to speed up our eventual trip to Mars. He wants NASA to retire the International Space Station and in the process save billions of dollars.
Aldrin made the comments as part of a presentation at the 2017 Humans on Mars conference held in Washington, D.C. According to Space.com, Aldrin said, "We must retire the ISS as soon as possible ... We simply cannot afford $3.5 billion a year of that cost."
Instead of ISS, Aldrin wants private industry to take over low Earth orbit activity, for there to be more cooperation with China in space, and that the focus should be on Mars and what he calls "cyclers." Cyclers are spacecraft whose sole purpose is to be constantly traveling back and forth between Earth and Mars. Built to last decades, cyclers would be our solution to getting people and cargo to and from our potential next home.
Related
- NASA Funds 133 Projects to Aid Deep Space ExplorationNASA Funds 133 Projects to Aid Deep Space Exploration
As a way of testing this tech, Aldrin suggests we use the Moon. Setup cyclers from Earth to the Moon, then create a lunar base to carry out all the required testing for Mars before evolving the then proven system to form a transportation system and base on Mars.
I suspect NASA will disagree with Aldrin on retiring ISS, which is currently funded until 2024 and may yet get a funding extension. ISS forms a valuable laboratory for carrying out hundreds of experiments, testing out equipment, and monitoring what happens to humans when they spend months at a time in space. You could also argue we already have a basic form of the cyclers Aldrin mentions operating between ISS and Earth.
NASA astronauts will chat with executives from Amazon and Hollywood about the future of science and entertainment.
Buzz Aldrin may not live to see it, but he thinks colonizing Mars is part of humanity's destiny.
It will be difficult for the company to mass-produce them.
It seats eight and none of them have to hold the wheel.
When Google introduced Chrome Frame in 2009, it was their intention to help those running legacy versions of Internet Explorer have access to and enjoy a modern browsing experience. Now that more people are using modern up-to-date versions of Internet Explorer and other browsers, Google has decided
Relax Buzz Aldrin Tells NASA to Retire ISS stories
The experimental military spacecraft performed over 700 experiments while in orbit, all of which are classified.
The Smart Shield is a Faraday Cage armrest; put your phone inside for distraction-free driving.
NASA astronauts will chat with executives from Amazon and Hollywood about the future of science and entertainment.
Nissan's best-selling SUV just happens to share a name with the iconic Rogue One movie, and the company is doing everything it can to milk it.
Marshall offers a classic look and the option of still using a headphone jack if you manage to burn through all that battery life.
Watch the engine that could transport astronauts to Mars being test fired.
India's Chandrayaan-1 went missing eight years ago after contact was lost several months after it went into service.
Each project will receive funding to support development over the next 2 years before hopefully being ready for use in missions.
Once perfected, Raven will allow satellites to be repaired autonomously.
Books are how we learn from smart people we'll probably never get the chance to meet.
Podcasts are the next-best-thing to a long talk with the people who have the most to teach.
The world's favorite astrophysicist stopped by our offices for the latest installment of The Convo.
Turns out burritos with pork sausage, cheese and rice aren't diet foods.
We chatted with Stephen Petranek, author of How We'll Live on Mars.
If you think Google Maps is the best navigation app for Android, you haven't seen the competition.
A disciplined approach to thinking through problems is vital for everyone striving to succeed.
There are no long geographic limitations on where businesses can find the best talent.
The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance.
Bots are raiding the FCC's comments in a bid to quash net neutrality.
Tesla didn't quite fulfill its promise to start Solar Roof sales in April, but you thankfully haven't had to wait that much longer to pull the trigger. As of t...
Europe wants a law that prevents Apple and Google from squeezing services like Spotify.
We test the top Identity-Management-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions so you can find the best one to easily create and manage users across your company's entire portfolio of cloud-based apps.
NVIDIA's new super-computer is built for training artificial intelligence.
The Isaac plaftorm is a video game-like environment that allows engineers to model robot tasks without fear of causing real-world damage.
France’s strict film regulations may prevent the company from taking part in subsequent festivals.