This Is How We Get To Mars

[@The5hadow712]

The first ships to Mars are a test and they’re probably gonna stay there, but it’s also gonna carry a lot of equipment at the same time possibly

[@harrymacdonald858]

an adult man who does not behave in the calm, serious, or sensible way that you would expect from someone of his age: Her fiance is portrayed as a feckless man-child. SO SPACE IS A CARTOON.

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

Ok. Is that a regular cartoon or is space more like CGI simulation?

[@rowshambow]

What​@@kamakaziozzie3038

[@TexanUSMC8089]

Exactly. By the time humans go to Mars, there may be 20 Starships sitting there with cargo and habitats. The Tesla robots may be able to organize or even build habitats. I think SpaceX will go to Mars in the next 6-10 years, but not with humans on board.

[@conor7154]

Yeah but I don’t think they can really store fuel long term, can they? Isn’t fuel notoriously difficult to store without it leaking and evaporating?

[@williamhastie5056]

Great presentation. I really enjoyed it. I’m 59 years old. If I could go to Mars now and knowing that it would be a one way ticket I would go in a heartbeat. Hopefully we get people on Mars before any global catastrophe happens. Natural or otherwise but they absolutely need to be self sustaining when they get there. Best wishes from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@augustwest9727]

47 and me too... I mean even if you die on the way, your name goes down in the history books.

[@Raul_Gajadhar]

By the end of 2026 you will be was "59" Nobody is going to build any base on the Moon, and nobody isn't going to ever Land or much more live on Mars. You really think we went to the Moon in 1969, but need 15 SpaceX Star Ships to do the same thing today? Man go and dig a hole for yourself, and stop dreaming. Too many 59 year old boys walking around in the 2020's.

[@Raul_Gajadhar]

@@dezzydiamond7121 Please spread the word brother.

[@Raul_Gajadhar]

@@augustwest9727 Yes, it most certainly would. You might even be nominated for the Darwin award of idiocy.

[@billweberx]

@@dezzydiamond7121 You have little imagination. For one, the radiation problem is only on the surface. Housing will be below ground. Radiation pressure suits will be used on the surface along with protected, enclosed, pressurized vehicles. Pioneering is always hard and dangerous but many people are up to the challenge.

[@Alejandro_Arellano]

Solar isn't very good on Mars, a microreactor like the eVinci, developed by Westinghouse, weights ~35 tons and can output 5mw for 8 years before needing refueling. This won't fit in a 1/6 scale starship but would in the full sized starship with room to spare.

[@rogerphelps9939]

No microreactor is yet in service. As far as solar not being very good on Mars the insolation is about half that on Earth and there would be less obscuraion by clouds although dust storms would sometimes cause obscuration and the panels would require regular cleaning.

[@Alejandro_Arellano]

Not exactly if you consider Naval reactors, the S9G in American nuclear subs are about 164.5 tons and output an estimated 210mw. The new generation of microreactors like eVinci are expected to be ready before the end of the decade, before the first planned manned missions to Mars.

[@donaldclifford5763]

@@Alejandro_Arellano I think the first few missions will use solar, but the sooner you can get nukes to work the better. Keep the solar for backup, of course. Also keep stored processed fuel for backup, and charged batteries. Zubrin points out that all mission critical systems need quadruple redundancy.

[@Tailspin80]

@@Alejandro_ArellanoThe S9G uses sea water for cooling.

[@Shrouded_reaper]

@@Alejandro_Arellano Yeah, it helps when you are running weapons grade fuel and are surrounded by unlimited super cold cooling fluid. Two things that are not happening on Mars. So you need a giant, heavy reactor running low enriched fuel and fields of radiators (also really heavy) to deal with waste heat. Solar is simply objectively superior if you are a private agency that has to deal with 50000 miles of red tape and bs. And no, the government isn't going to be running a Mars beyond sending some token NASA astronauts on a "NASA" starship for flags and footprints so they don't get btfo by the evil musk man.

[@alzeNL]

Cool to know we are even seriously on our way to Mars. I hope to see it in my life time, but just knowing there is a way and a will, makes me happy.

[@Arturo4586]

6 to 8 years, maybe sooner. Opportunities open every 26 months, going, The free return trip to the planet lasts 7 months, meaning no landing. Just reaching Mars with a fly-by

[@HawkGTboy]

Everyone is hand waving away the very real problem of human psychological endurance. Very, VERY few people could handle years of confinement in a tiny pressure vessel with 3-5 other people. The isolation and stress would literally kill them.

[@jdmaine51084]

I got to see Dr. Aldrin speak at the Aeronautics Museum on long island, got a copy of his book autographed... he has some amazing stories.

[@anjou6497]

Wow that's nice, what an extraordinary man he was.

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way: idiot.

[@jdmaine51084]

@@harrymacdonald858 ...what?

[@drakefarley53]

​@@anjou6497he's still alive what the fuck do you mean "he was"

[@yanis905]

I’m a super fan of Starship, yet I doubt that it will be the ship to send us to Mars. Instead, I think that it will become the absolute workhorse building large scale infrastructure in LEO, cislunar orbit and on the Moon. Elon may go all the way with his personal vision for a Mars mission, but there are many actors in New Space who are eyeing Starship for their own purpose, so when it becomes operational, I truly believe that Space X might not even be Starship’s prime user. Anything from commercial space station to orbital manufacturing facilities, fuel depots, satellite graveyards, asteroid and lunar mining equipment and space telescopes will benefit from its payload capacity, launch rate and cost efficiency. And once DARPA successfully tests their nuclear Draco engine in 2027, a nuclear Starship will truly open up the solar system.

[@Davie506]

I agree, it’s literally the truck of space, it’s not the ship itself but what we use it too build.

[@caezar55]

I think you're wrong, it will be the ship that goes to Mars because something that can be 1) launched in one piece from earth and 2) is re-usable will be far more cost efficient that building this boondoogle in orbit. But it will be a bigger version of the current starship.

[@yanis905]

​​@@caezar55A nuclear Starship maybe, but the current design seems impractical with 10+ refueling steps for each trip to Mars. By the time Starship is human-rated, the transition to nuclear thermal propulsion might just be around the corner. And with this, we may be able to cut the average travel time in half, reduce the amount of fuel and get more autonomy. This means that a longer entry burn would be possible instead of a risky belly flop.

[@serenityindeed]

@@yanis905 I think you're 100% correct. Methalox Starship to ferry in and out of Earth's gravity well, and a Draco-Starship variant for missions to other planets & moons in the system. The first one will probably act as a ferry between Earth & Lunar at a guess, to help us set up mining there.

[@neolithictransitrevolution427]

I'm not sure a starship will ever bring anyone to mars- but I'm sure a few will go there. That said, I think 99% will fall in the category of heavy launch vehicle, orbital refueling tanker, point-to-point earth transport (people will pay 10k to get across the world in 30 min), space station (each has the volume of the ISS~), and moon station (burried in some regolith). I think the starship will have hundreds built over the next decade, and I'm sure a few older ones will be sent 1 way to mars.

[@alderwolf7687]

Before sending people to Mars we need to first build up a large supporting infrastructure base in Earth orbit, the moon/moon orbit then Mars/Mars orbit in addition to things like the cycler.

[@ReddwarfIV]

Robert Zubrin wrote a book on how that's unnecessary. _The Case For Mars._

[@almaztech]

Thank you, ​@ReddwarfIV I was about to say that

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way: idiot.

[@Darkmattermonkey77]

It’ll probably happen simultaneously. While the first few astronauts head to mars and get setup, will potentially be the same time as lunar bases and gateway stations are being established. When those astronauts return from mars, they’ll come back to the moon first, then to earth.

[@kh40yr]

We send tons of supplies ahead to Mars. We have robots assemble our habitat zones. Then , we arrive. Inflate the living quarters and air locks , and proceed inside.

[@jonathanjones3126]

Why not just dig underground and process the materials while constructing a safe habitat

[@billweberx]

@@jonathanjones3126 Will probably do both.

[@jonathanjones3126]

@@billweberx underground will eliminate the need for radiation shielding at least

[@billweberx]

@@jonathanjones3126 You can do that above ground also and some people may want to be above ground.

[@jonathanjones3126]

@billweberx unless their willing to import transparent materials that can survive dust storms I don't see how. Just getting everything setup for humans is going to be a massive undertaking. I would have automated processes/drones doing the work for however long it takes

[@kjetilknyttnev3702]

I think another compromise here is ideal. Use the full scale starship for payloads, and get the cyclers to use with the mini starship for people on/off. It seems likely there will be a lot of missions before people arrive there. AI and autonomous robots will likely be there for many years to build the base, drilling rig, and everything else. And once the first ships have been successfully refueled and we get confirmation that a base is established, we can send people.

[@timmonahan-mitchell9125]

A good science fiction movie would be about the AI robots that fake the pictures and data of their Mars base progress and lure people to a death trap!

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Enough about Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@PlanXV]

One million robots 🤖 to make the most of 3 suns 🌞 😊 and 2 moons

[@davidroddini1512]

So glad to finally see a video that talks about the Aldrin cycler! 👍🏻

[@donaldclifford5763]

Probably a cheap and fast transport for smaller payloads.

[@davidroddini1512]

@@donaldclifford5763 It would also be good for getting groups of civilian colonists there since there’s less travel time involved. Also theoretically a cycler could be built large enough to have rotational gravity and shielding from radiation.

[@johnjohnson-io1os]

I'm embarrassed to say i have not heard of it before today and I'm a Space fan. The man is even greater then I thought lol

[@sheepuff5999]

Really happy to see someone making a video on Mars cyclers. I think Starship *might* be useful for getting to Mars, but I think it would make a lot more sense to use Starship to *build* a Mars cycler in LEO instead, then kick it out into a Mars cycler orbit using either a bunch of fully-fueled Starships, gravity assists + Hall effect thrusters, or maybe a next generation nuclear fission/fusion rocket. Obviously the trip to Mars is going to be a long, lonely one with very limited contact with Earth. I think the vessel that gets people to Mars should be as cushy, entertaining, and fulfilling as possible. Starship and other similar heavy-lift launch vehicles could be useful for sending lots and lots of cargo to Mars (assuming Starship works), but for humans who are going to be stuck floating through space in a tin can for several months, I think it would make more sense for them to have a nice, cushy ride to the Red Planet.

[@alexcovey1200]

Better yet, look at anthrofuturisms video on how to get enough equipment on the moon for a self sufficient colony that would have the ability to make ships for only a few billion dollars.

[@RobertNGk56]

@@alexcovey1200 🤔Were not going to Mars, until we figure out how to travel faster and build a base for astronauts when they arrive. That could be another 10-15 more years researching.

[@joemaddoxrx7]

Delusional

[@basalwharf3488]

yeah,but with starship you can have a lot of them at once that will launch to mars,can carry more people, and importantly more cargo to mars. the cycler would be great for smaller projects but spacex's vision is to have a large,populated city on mars that is self sufficient.

[@LAESA1]

@@RobertNGk56 uh spacex is trying to get people to mars within 5-10 yrs using starship.

[@danrose3621]

Why not do both ? Land supplies in multiple large ships that will stay there and use the smaller ships as suggested for people

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way:

[@victorlora4199]

@@harrymacdonald858put the cuckoo back in the box, TARD

[@donaldclifford5763]

Robust logistics. Not just minimums. Zubrin says all mission critical systems need quadruple redundancy.

[@hacker4chn841]

Buzz Aldrin is a legend and a genuinely good person it seems. I got to see him speak at my high school like 12 years ago. My band teacher (also the physics teacher) got to meet him and was over the moon.

[@Brick_Wall_quote_Entertainment]

I see what you did there ;)

[@seemoretoys5944]

I attended a conference at UCI back in 1987 where Buzz give a talk on this subject. His talk was very technical but interesting.

[@leea4839]

First few flights to Mars should be one way. It seems like a much better use of resources

[@jacoblf]

yes, and those first flights will be unmanned. they will set up the ISRU farm. By the time we get there all the fuel needed for return will have already been stored.

[@rexx9496]

Starting with Elon.

[@michaelkeefer5674]

Instead of using a crowded small space ship to get to Mars. Use a large asteroid to live in most of the way to Mars. Asteroid 363305 (2002 NV16) is about the size of a football stadium (186 meters). It orbits between Earth and Mars. Your crowded space ship just has to match orbits with Asteroid 363305 (2002 NV16) and dock. Now everybody goes into 2002 NV16. It has been hollowed out a bit. Solar panels installed on the surface. A working biosphere established inside. You have excellent radiation shielding by at least a couple of meters of rock. Fresh food and lots of room for recreation. You arrive at Mars, fresh and fit, a few months later. Get into your little crowded space ship and match orbits with one of the Martian moons that has also been turned into a base like 2002 NV16. There you transfer to a lander designed to go to the Martian surface and back. The asteroid 2002 NV16 becomes the equivalent of trade city on the silk road to Mars.

[@3pints]

Very original thinking wow dude! There are some large issues you may have glossed over, the details are below, you can skip to the conclusion if you want the summary. When you say hollow out a large asteroid and establish biosphere, this has never been remotely done before so this alone will make it cost many billions and work years. To hollow it out you require asteroid drilling(never done), pumping of material out of asteroid(never done), all in a way that's controlled for ideal shape(never done). The solar panels thing also isn't trivial, the installation on an asteroid's surface will require the solar panel placement, surface drilling & fastening to surface for many solar panels, all in space by new robots?. Before any of this you need to send all of this equipment to the asteroid together in a controlled way(Never done), you need to make and test this equipment(somewhat done for mars, moon) To establish a 'biosphere' inside the asteroid it is simply impossible, one requires constant resupply missions, nothing about an asteroid is any way habitable to any life, the work required would be like creating an ISS all while in Space! Also what happens if an asteroid collides with it, you gonna add thrusters to an asteroid? The only advantage to this asteroid is that it is in an orbit already and has some structural integrity, but nothing about this asteroid can support humans without monstrous cost (and still likely wouldn't work). Everything about this mission is insanely more expensive than buzz aldrin's suggested shuttle station to and from mars, His is basically everything you desire from your asteroid colony but insanely cheaper, quicker and more realistic... Everything he suggests is built on Earth and assembled in LEO like the ISS, we know a lot about this and have built a lot like this. The only novelty in his setup is simply moving it faster and in a new orbit(well known) and docking with it further out(somewhat known) with more supplies than usual(somewhat known). Buzz Aldrin's plan from video shares your end goal, people leaving a space station for a Mars touchdown instead of Earth touchdown! Even his setup needs many billions and work years, but your mission requires way, way more. Think about it this way, since you're gonna make huge artificial living conditions it's infinitely easier to do it on Earth and send to space -than to do it all in deep space...

[@huntster1701]

@@3pints And all that is predicated on (363305) 2002 NV16 being a solid object rather than a rubble pile, which I do not believe has yet been established.

[@3pints]

@@huntster1701 If this were a normal idea then that would make a difference but because his suggestion is so absurdly difficult it is probably the least of his idea's issues... lol no offence mike if you reading this

[@chiragpatel4253]

Very cool idea! Unfortunately yes it’s just easier to send multiple new ships to mars. I’m sure we will do something like that maybe 50+ years from now, when our robotics and drilling technology gets better.

[@cuentapamii]

In the future this could be real. For long travels we could take advantage of solid asteroids not just to protect us but to use them as a source of energy and different kinds of materials.

[@DerekJones1081962]

Very good article. However, the propulsion system of choice for a Mars cycler isn't solar ion drive, but nuclear thermal propulsion. Ion drive isn't a bad backup drive system. Several cyclers in orbit or at least available would actually be beneficial. The radiation dose rates for crewed missions must not be overstated. NTP is the only method that reduces crew exposure to cosmic radiation.

[@shreyanshshah4188]

I'm not sure if you'll read my comment, but I want to say that your channel was very realistic three years ago. For three years, I eagerly awaited Mechazilla's success and your discussion about it, but surprisingly, you never mentioned it at all.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

They seem to believe all of Mr. Musk's lies but forget all the mounting criminal Fraud charges & civil cases against him starting with the "Full Self Crashing" Fraud which is now a growing felony murder case...

[@Conundrum191]

Honestly I think the only way we pull this off long term is either with cyclers, or with a nuclear tug. Starship "can" get us there, and will probably get us there first, but I don't think in its current design/configuration it will work longer-term if the goal is actual colonization.

[@serenityindeed]

Small modular reactors (SMR) solve the energy problem for fuel generation on Mars, if somebody can fund it. As an example, the Rolls-Royce proposed SMR would generate 470 MW of energy. While I don't think smaller ships for crew are a bad idea, the tonnage capacity of one way Starships makes more sense for setting up Martian infrastructure. Great video either way.

[@davidbeppler3032]

With a 250 tonne cargo capacity we could just send a large nuke for power. Probably easier than 12 football fields of solar cells. Which would easily fit on a single starship. Not 8.

[@PaulADAigle]

I've always said that we should involve a smaller craft for transportation down to Mars. The mathematics, I have no idea, but it made sense. The next step would be something large and spinable, for either the long transfer time between planets, or as pit stop for refueling.

[@Kr0N05]

Yup, they are going to need something similar in layout as Space 1999's Eagle; if you want to land heavy equipment on Mars, like Martian Excavators, Dump trucks etc, then you can't be lowering these 20 ton vehicles down from the height of a Starship on some rinky dink elevator. They gotta drive right out of some large cargo pod straight onto the surface.

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way: idiot.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Yes, artificial gravity and a living life support system on the cycler...

[@stevebeckford9418]

Dream on

[@code066funkinbird3]

Dream on

[@jouhannaudjeanfrancois891]

I'm sticking to Adam Something assesment : 1 : Go to mars - 2 : Die

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Basically the case. Most likely the manned first exploration on mars will be with remotes controlled by astronauts in orbit around mars...

[@jackprier7727]

Probably die en route cooked by radiation-

[@code066funkinbird3]

​@@davidhollenshead4892ok

[@congerr71]

As usual extremely well presented interesting content. The thing I like most about this channel is it "goes where no one else goes " keep up the great work.WELL DONE !

[@codebasher1]

Earth to Mars can't be taken seriously until we include rotating sections for gravity. Especially as this improves physical and mental health for the crew a hundred fold.

[@donaldclifford5763]

Or nuke power to shorten the transit time.

[@julienash9470]

Can't be taken seriously until somebody explains how to get through the Van Allen radiation belts. Anybody?

[@smartguy360]

​​@@julienash9470can't they build radiation shielding into the space ship

[@julienash9470]

@smartguy360 In 1969 it was said the shielding would have to be solid lead 15 Feet thick. That been scaled down to 7 feet in recent times. Giving that Apollo was wafer thin? In any case they're working on the Orion capsule but now they admit you can't get through the belts, so you decide.

[@donaldclifford5763]

@@julienash9470 Are you a kook moon landing denier?

[@michaelkeefer5674]

The smaller asteroids are usually ruble piles. Do not need to drill. Just go to one of the poles and pick the rocks out of the way while installing inflatable sleeves to line the tunnel. It find a big rock in the way an impact hammer can break it up.

[@MukiBlalock]

Now add NUCLEAR PROPULSION in conjunction with the Aldrin Cycler and we'd really be cookin'!😂🎉❤

[@rowshambow]

Establishing a research station this way is a great idea. And at the same time other nations will set up outposts and companies like spaceX can ferry colonists there. This way there is a chance for people on mars to maybe get assistance if something goes wrong

[@Potato_Master1]

In all honesty, if we really wanted to go to Mars, we should go the the Martian (movie) method, building a spacecraft that is somewhat similar to a space station. It could provide more space and supplies for the crew and also have other landers and mini mars base attached to the spacecraft. And when reaching Mars, the landers could land on the surface and if they are safe, humans can descend on mars ,using the mini base to conduct some research. While all of this is happening, the spacecraft is orbiting Mars until the crew return from the surface and then they return to earth. The spacecraft can then orbit earth and be used for further missions.

[@gagarinone]

That is a very good plan!

[@ernestimken6969]

You are forgetting the radiation factor. Can humans survive that?

[@angelstrong792]

Yes, we will be there!

[@Andreas-gh6is]

The only benefit of the Aldrin cycler is that it avoids accelerating and decelerating a huge chunk of the mass you need to reach Mars. Particularly, the habitat for the journey. It does not reduce the propellant requirements for anything else - astronauts, consumables and equipment/space craft for use at Mars. I think a "return" in case of a missed cycler could be arranged. After all, you do need to put a lot of extra propellant on the cycler each time, so that they can get around in Mars orbit or back to the cycler. So in case of a miss, you just use that fuel and come back.

[@brentcalaway]

I was thinking about that too, but you save a ton of fuel. You still have to match the orbit to dock with the cycler but that’s a lot less delta-v with a small crew vehicle.

[@Andreas-gh6is]

@@brentcalaway a small crew vehicle is not enough. You have to carry all the consumables for the crew, for their trip, stay and return trip, which also includes the fuel for landing on Mars and getting back to the cycler.

[@Shrouded_reaper]

You also have to reboost the cycler every orbit by a not small amount of delta V and this gets worse the bigger the cycler is. It's pointless.

[@Andreas-gh6is]

@@Shrouded_reaper as I understand it, you don't have to reboost the cycler that much, in the end it's still a fraction of the fuel needed to accelerate and decelerate that mass.

[@Shrouded_reaper]

@Andreas-gh6is Any reboost is too much. Are you really going to fly gigantic tankers to almost Mars intercept velocity, refuel the cycler, then have enough fuel to boost your tankers back or send them on a long ass Martian free return trajectory? It's a ridiculous concept without a free way to top up that Delta V. Hence why no one is working on or even proposing it.

[@TiberiusMaximus]

I've always loved the baby Starship idea, that would be great for the moon too

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way:

[@kv-2heavytank52]

@@harrymacdonald858 "grrr how dare people have dreams!!" - 🤓 you

[@TiberiusMaximus]

@@harrymacdonald858 odd that you responded to a post that says I love the idea of a baby Starship in the way you did

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Enough about Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@Brick_Wall_quote_Entertainment]

the fact that, if Elon adopts Zubrin's baby Starship idea, a silly goober Starship will actually be the kind to land people on Mars is an idea I love so much

[@causewaykayak]

Very interesting ideas and a very well made video.

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way:

[@Gav_Jam]

This is awesome, I learn something great everytime you upload

[@biercenator]

I really enjoy science fiction. Thanks for your contribution!

[@devo1977s]

My biggest issue with this is the use of solar panels, that's not happening it's going to be nuclear power plants, why the hell would you waste all the propellant and time where nuclear Reactor with accomplished all that on one trip, same with the space station, nuclear power plant and ion drives, it would probably make it too fast to catch

[@donaldstrishock3923]

"BUZZED" Aldrin could sell "Ice-cubes to Eskimos ". He Really knew How to "Keep a SECRET". Fifty five ( 55) years ago was the BIGGEST Conquest NEVER to Be TOPPED !

[@FrancoisBrindamour]

I dont really belive that we should go there until we have a workable thermo nuclear reactor. It would cut the travel time by half. Less food, less exposition of the astronauts to space radiation. Lockheed martin is developping one .Dont forget some one have to pay for such an adventure. Its not gonna hapened tomorrow anyway.

[@dougemery2519]

There has been a nuclear engine for a long time. It isn't a new technology. The problem was getting the engines into orbit one mishap and there is nuclear radiation everywhere.

[@Tailspin80]

Reactors on earth are water cooled. How’s that going to work on Mars?

[@davevann9795]

There are many problems with nuclear powered rockets. The is always the contamination from accidents, and rockets have many accidents. There is also making the economics workable, radiation shielding which is heavy, mass to delta V ratio, nuclear engines cannot take-off or land propulsively so other landing and take-off engines would be needed, and nuclear re-fueling in space would be a very big job with new technologies to be developed

[@davidbeppler3032]

@@Tailspin80 Magic?

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way:

[@PeterKertesz2013]

Very interesting, thank you!

[@Rowan.Albright]

"...in the field of *astronautics*, which was a fancy term they used at the time to describe space flight" bro astronautics is what its called today

[@jantjarks7946]

Quite a fancy term they are using today.

[@tyrport]

Is there anything other than hope that says that humans can survive long term on one third earth (Mars) gravity. I think we might ( big if ) know after people have survived on the moon for years at a time.

[@EorscA]

Only half way through. But one of your best...

[@roberthesser6402]

Mars' atmosphere might be thin but the Starship's size is designed to take full advantage of it so that the effective difference in momentum they can shave off the descent between Mars' atmosphere and Earth's is actually negligible. Only the thinner upper portions of Earth's atmosphere, where it's similar to Mars', are actually used in aerobraking, and Mars' atmosphere also extends much further out from the planet. Combined with a lower terminal velocity, and Starship will have at least as easy a time landing on Mars as Earth.

[@-yttrium-1187]

No the atmosphere of earth and mars are completely different. Mars has about 1/100th the atmosphere of earth meaning an object's terminal velocity will be significantly higher. It would be more accurate to describe their descent by the hammer and feather experiment we did on the moon than expecting the atmosphere to slow you down.

[@alansnyder8448]

I think the best way to get a large number of people to Mars isn't to have Starship land on the surface but to aerobrake and rendezvous with a smaller craft designed specifically for travel between Mars orbit and the surface. On the way up, it could carry fuel, and on the way down, it could bring people.

[@donaldclifford5763]

@@-yttrium-1187 Like he just explained Earth's upper atmosphere is comparable to that of Mars in the process of aerodynamic braking.

[@billweberx]

@@-yttrium-1187 You missed his point completely. He said the upper atmosphere of earth is similar to the upper atmosphere of mars (prove him wrong) and aerobraking on earth happens in the upper atmosphere (prove him wrong), not lower where it's much thicker than mars.

[@Tailspin80]

@@alansnyder8448If you want really huge numbers on Mars then take embryos and make them when you get there.

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

We need at least another 100 years to be able to send people to Mars and back…

[@ronschlorff7089]

I think it will still be there in that time! LOL ;D

[@darwinboor1300]

With enough one-way supply Starships and enough autonomous robots and vehicles, a functional preliminary base could easily be completed within 4 years. Less if all you require is a landing/takeoff pad, fuel and fuel depot, and temporary crew habitat.

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

@@darwinboor1300 more like 40 years, not 4.

[@ronschlorff7089]

@@3dfxvoodoocards6 the wild card is always the funding, if we kept going right after Apollo and had the consistent funding, regardless of changing administrations, we'd be there several years by now. So, let's hope for some vision in congress in the next years for funding, even with privates involved it will take some huge support from gov'ts, ...any gov'ts.

[@tylersmith9868]

Within the next 15-20 years I think

[@WinnifredJune]

Great video! Why do they have to have return flights at all? Is it just to reuse the starship? That seems like a lot of time and effort for something that can just be rebuilt upon Earth.

[@nedgeson326]

Buzz Aldrin. What a guy!

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Space is a Cartoon. "Man child" is a slang term for an adult man who behaves in a childlike or immature way:

[@reekz1568]

Can’t wait to watch the live feed of us on mars.

[@evelynzlon9492]

Mars has already been inhabited and destroyed. The apexes of the pyramid-looking rocks on Mars match the position of the Pleiades. I could care less. It doesn't matter whether the mission is Mars, Sesame Street or what. The new Babylon the Great is doomed everywhere they go.

[@luxorens]

The person who will go there first must have balls of steel...

[@Stevie-L-n8g]

Would they be affected by magnetism and interfere with the instrumentation? Besides, I think Superman is busy.

[@anjou6497]

Perhaps the crew could chill out for long periods of time during the journey out to Mars. I mean tranquilized for a week or so, crew in rotation duty. It would relieve some of the serious mental stress. ..🚀

[@ronschlorff7089]

right, no doubt the ships will have some steel ball bearings in them somewhere!! LOL ;D

[@bjorntorlarsson]

Hasn't Elon Musk said that he won't go on the first trip, because it's way to dangerous! :-P But there will be no lack of volunteers. Mars fever is a real thing.

[@ronschlorff7089]

@@bjorntorlarsson yup, but let's hope they don't dig around there and unleash a real long dormant "fever" pathogen and cause a pandemic on the red planet!! I think I'll call it "Covid Rouge"!! LOL ;D

[@etralin3dream983]

Tungsten composites represent the future of spacecraft materials. While more expensive and challenging to work with compared to stainless steel, they outperform in almost every critical metric: radiation shielding, strength, durability, thermal protection, and even flexibility. The only significant drawback is their weight, which presents a monumental engineering challenge. However, if we can overcome this obstacle, it would enable the construction of near-indestructible spacecraft that wouldn't require additional heat shields or radiation protection-potentially the ultimate goal for the future of space exploration I believe space x will make this one day! While the weight of tungsten composites presents a significant challenge, leveraging the power and efficiency of engines like the Raptor 3, along with innovative engineering and material solutions, can pave the way for constructing next-generation spacecraft. By combining advanced propulsion systems, strategic material use, and innovative design techniques, the dream of creating indestructible spacecraft capable of deep space exploration becomes increasingly attainable. Ultimately, overcoming these challenges will represent a monumental leap forward in space exploration, making tungsten composites a viable option for future missions.

[@GabiSpivak]

Space race channel is the Best ;), thanks for the Best space content

[@absiddique139]

Buzz Aldren the second man to land on the Moon

[@devinsealy3632]

Very well produced video.

[@Lost-In-Blank]

Good stuff ! Excellent video !

[@whatthefunction9140]

At some point they will be giving away mars land if you will settle there. What year will that be. I guess 2100

[@OpenSourceFan]

Zubrin is a theorist, talker at best. I guess i appreciate his enthusiasm. 😮

[@almaztech]

Then why did NASA chose his plan (with caveats, yes) I 1992?

[@crow578]

We don't even have talkers anymore, just con artists.

[@ZontarDow]

He was Musk before Musk. That's not a compliment.

[@ptpasta]

This would be a great delivery for a tanker starship.

[@jonhayes9750]

Wait a few hundred years then go.

[@nickd1973]

I remember reading a manned Mars mission proposal from Mike Collins (Apollo 11) in National Geographic 1988/1989 so Buzz was a bit late to the party 🎉. The concept of the Mars Cycler is older than his proposal too. Not a criticism of Buzz but the accuracy of the video

[@johnstewart579]

Both Zubin and Musk have workable plans to reach Mars and there are plenty of intelligent, skilled volunteers who would be willing to travel a one way trip. With no return trip necessary the entire initial colonizing becomes effective and doable. Once a methane/oxygen farm colony is mature, future colonists may have the means to achieve round trips.

[@asandax6]

One way trip? Sign me Up

[@alexdanalibaba5085]

I think the idea of a one way trip is stupid though. What if the first wave of colonists don’t survive? Since these are private companies pursuing colonization, their endeavors depend a ton on public support and if the first attempt ends in disaster, the opinion of Mars missions is going to go down the drain. No, whatever happens the first astronauts that land and place a flag have to survive, and that means having some sort of escape if things go haywire.

[@asandax6]

@@alexdanalibaba5085 If we die, we die. People have gotten too comfortable with "safety" but anyone signing up to go on a one way trip has already accepted their fate.

[@asandax6]

@@alexdanalibaba5085 Oh also the astronauts that were supposed to be first on the moon died on the rocket before it was even launched.

[@alexdanalibaba5085]

@@asandax6You can’t be serious with that mentality. You sound like the OceanGate CEO.

[@Hiddensecret9]

With 5 MW output and 8 years of continuous operation, the eVinci reactor offers an efficient and lightweight solution for Mars habitats and equipment. Its small footprint makes it ideal for deep space applications.

[@7733n]

01:39 Would be cool to build Aldrin's cycler while he is still alive.

[@megamankeht6098]

I like how at 4:58 we take off from the eye of a hurricane lol one way to get speeds going

[@pedro.alcatra]

Where are the people? I am felling alone here with the amount of bots commenting non sense generic things with emojis at the end

[@anjou6497]

You obviously aren't reading all the comments.

[@cordeauxboi]

Cool video! Seems like both would be great! Starship for cargo Starship mini optimized for safety and return for people. Win!

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Enough about Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@Rascal2944]

You all can go like your Star Trek/Starwars fantasy. I'll stay here.

[@samr.england613]

They are fantasizing but don't realize it. It's recently been dubbed the, "Marvel Effect', that is, fantastical superhero movies, as well as general sci-fi, make simpletons believe that we have capabilities that don't actually exist.

[@ForestGigaChad34]

Space X is in the process of working on mini reactors. Building a homesteading station on Mars that rely on solar panels isn't really a great option unless your planning on hauling a bunch of batteries up too. Small scale independent reactors gives you the power on demand with minimal need for storage.

[@saminnippon]

we need to stop attributing the success of spacex with musk, but instead to their hard working engineers.

[@thesquatchdoctor3356]

The man is spiraling, I use Starlink and about two years ago my router reset. All I knew was suddenly the name of the network was "Stinky". Thought I'd been hacked for like two days until I looked it up and Elon Musk had just decided one day to tell the company to rename the default network to "Stinky". Can't make this stuff up. Combined with the *no flame diverter for the Starship launch pad* decision that defied seventy years of basic rocketry engineering, it really made me question his connection to reality.

[@johnfisher7143]

Sounds like somebody read some hurty words on X

[@sakshamShukla_]

@@thesquatchdoctor3356 So you got so butthurt over Stinky?

[@Kr0N05]

I mean Elon had the idea and drive to spend billions on his idea, BUT Gwynne Shotwell is doing the truly hard work of getting the right talent , and most importantly , holding on to that talent (Elon tends to rub people the wrong way after awhile, what with his nutbag right wing views etc.). I think Elon's close connection to Russia (Russians using Starlink in Ukraine and at the same time Elon disabling Ukraine's Starlinks when the Ukrainians were going after Russian navel assets in the Black Sea.) is gonna force the Department of Defense and the DOJ to have a heart to heart talk with him shortly.

[@johnfisher7143]

@@Kr0N05 nut bag right wing views? Oh like freedom of speech? Yeh, I see what you mean, only left wing nut bags should have that right eh.

[@oldnick4707]

I think it should be mentioned that Elon is not trying to get a couple people on Mars for some sort of show. He's trying to get a crowd of people to Mars, this to prepare for a much larger crowd. This is the real deal.

[@Lilmiket1000]

What pisses me off is the fact that there is so much older tech that should be in operation already that just isn't. If there was already a way to get to mars decades ago it should have happened. Same with the moon and a space station. We should have already had space stations in orbit with simulated gravity. We landed on the moon already. There is no reason we shouldn't already have bases on the moon. It's annoying how we don't seem to push forward in this country unless there is another country on our tails.

[@Mastermind12358]

Yeap but people think it would have been impossible 20-30 years ago. Imagine if we never went to the moon, and then say today that we could have landed on the moon in the 60s. People would have called you crazy. Von Braun himself said in 1969 that we should be landing people on Mars by the early 80s.

[@michaelmicek]

Until SpaceX, going to space cost tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram. With partially reusable (a concept laughed at) Falcon 9, it's still over $10k in price. A fully and rapidly reusable Starship is supposed to take the cost to under $100, maybe under $10. ($1 million fuel ÷ 100,000 kg)

[@interpl6089]

Reason: Money.

[@anjou6497]

​@@interpl6089 Well exactly.

[@sage142111]

I think the other reason Elon is working on Optimus is being able to send a crew of robots to set everything up before a single human arrives. We should not send a single human until we know we can get them back home.

[@GenikaXVI]

yes there's less air to" air-brake" on Mars but there's just a third of gravity so the end speed of Starship on descent will be far lower compensating for the "less air problem"

[@feynthefallen]

Yes, I can talk about going to Mars without Elon Musk. It would be too funny if EVERYONE went and Jump-For-Trump-Elon was left in the dust.

[@feynthefallen]

I also can talk about staying on Earth without Elon Musk. Either one works for me, just so long as I end up on a different planet.

[@greatcondor8678]

Trump with Elon are super heroes that can accomplish anything.

[@spacehaxx2225]

The Aldrin Mars Cycler isn't a "vehicle". It's a space station, on a very funky orbit that takes it past Mars, and then past the Earth, and then past Mars again, etc. A little bit of delta-V is required to maintain this orbit. Think of it that way. Buzz was the genius who figured out what that funky orbit actually was, and how and why it works.

[@Palanibert]

This is a silly pipe dream.

[@yuhaturi3329]

yup

[@mackjsm7105]

No one ever talks about the radiation on Mars that will kill you in months.

[@Marshin209.]

Having your living area be underground in a lava tube would mostly solve this overnight

[@Garryck-1]

It's not talked about because we already have multiple solutions that can deal with that problem.

[@Jack_The_Ripper_Here]

​@@Marshin209. Right. And how will you dig that whole? Will you send an escavator to Mars too? 😅😅 damn... if i could slap all you Mars heads hard, i would. In theory you're all so smart, in practice nobody is going to Mars because right now, it's imposibile. We talk in 2040. Untill then feed the homeless and fk your dead planet

[@sirbonobo3907]

Bullshit, the founding Father of Us american Spaceflight is and always will be Wernher von Braun.

[@cptrelentless80085]

My mate’s grandad built his rockets in a cave in Czechoslovakia during WW2

[@sirbonobo3907]

True and thats okay its History and shouldnt be sidelined

[@salty_berserker_channel]

Wow! Great information and presentation

[@chrisjohnson2460]

Instead of the superheavy putting starship into orbit it could carry another booster into orbit which starship could connect with, and use that booster to take it to Mars, preserving starship's fuel supply. It would be best to send as many as possible, with some retuning to Earth and some remaining as a support apparatus.

[@ezekielteklaking]

I always envisioned a version of starship that was 2 sections, the top pops off like a dragon capsule, with its own set of tiles, the starship core stays in orbit like a satellite.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Enough about Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@ashleyobrien4937]

I'd be inclined to use some of the starships cargo weight for an ablative drag sail, that way the ship can be slowed down without putting the ship in unwanted thermal stress or using large amounts of fuel to slow it down. The sail could simply be a large rectangular piece of heat resistant material that is rolled up and deployed before insertion into Martian orbit.

[@billprice8596]

In one of your earlier episodes, you dealt with nuclear power. If Starship was a duel propulsion ship, ie. chemical and nuclear, there would be no need for orbital refueling. Use chemical engines to get to orbit and nuclear to get to Mars or any other place you want to go. It would also be faster. Why Elon has not thought about this is puzzling.

[@anjou6497]

Yes, but he does have brilliant engineers on the project so there must be a reason...

[@Shrouded_reaper]

Your post is painfully lacking in any kind of understanding. There are many good reasons it's not happening.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@JayNasty727]

Seeing the mini starship stand there, it’s got me thinking. How cool it Would be if the ministarship could walk.That would be creepy/awesome.

[@CMVBrielman]

I don’t know if it’ll be a cycler, but we’re almost certainly won’t just use Starship as entirety of the Earth-Mars supply chain

[@zimriel]

unfortunately currently Starship is the only nonnuclear game in town so it has to be what we're talking about. and the town has (so far) banned nuclear-heated drives.

[@CMVBrielman]

@@zimriel Nothing says we can’t use Starship to build an interplanetary ship, whether or not it’s a cycler. All we need is some good surface-orbit/orbit-surface shuttles to dock with it and transfer people and cargo to/from the ship to the surface.

[@darwinboor1300]

The cycler is only necessary if you want a low energy fast human transport ferry. Otherwise, go slower carry more volume and more on Mars usable mass by going unmanned.

[@audioscavenger]

Where do I start... okay how many more tons of food for 3 years?

[@samr.england613]

And how many tons of food for FOUR astronauts for 3 years. It adds up to a lot. These "People on Mars" enthusiasts are either crazy, ignorant, misguided, or full of crap, or all the above! And the financial constraints should go without saying.

[@kolarz2128]

​​@@samr.england613attitude it can be done Is needed to achieve anything. Attitude it can't be done is good for doing notihing

[@dhruvk6163]

Elon musk is now worth $500 billion.I dont think hell stop without taking people to mars 🥶🥶

[@rowshambow]

I dont think it makes sense to land starship on mars with people in it. It would be could for bringing equipment etc. But a starship should be sent with a few dragon landing capsules in it and placed into orbit. So when people arrive in orbit they can dock with it and go down in the dragon capsules. Starship could also deploy starlink in orbit

[@bb1111116]

First to give respect to Buzz Aldrin, who has served his country and the cause of space exploration very well. He is a legend. Along with that praise however, for decades I have disagreed with Aldrin about his negative view of the Moon as a human crewed destination and his overly optimistic plans to get humans to Mars. To sum it up; extending space habitation for humans should be done step by step. Right now humanity is able to maintain a continual human presence in low earth orbit. That is what we are able to do. The Moon can be reached in 3 days compared with 5 to 9 months going to Mars. The next step is to create a human crewed outpost on the Moon and eventually establish permanent research, industrial and habitation facilities there. Once that is done, then humanity will be ready to tackle Mars for permanent human habitation.

[@SenorGato237]

We need to send a lot of stuff to Mars, but not a lot has to come back. A crewed lander could be sent with a small ascent craft and the return vehicle waits in orbit. We could, potentially, also send un manned cargo flights for return fuel and supplies.

[@xRola.]

Well imo the mini could work. If the starship can launch every hour like if they have a lot lined up to launch they can just launch mini’s during the whole transfer window.

[@sgfx]

2:36 Elon said a trip to Mars in starship would take 3 to 6 months. Depending on weight. So you could in theory send cargo heavy ships ahead on a 6-month duration. And passengers in a lighter ship to get there in ~3. and unlike the Aldrin's plan, you can land 100s of tons of materials and supplies. Aldrin's ideal was made in the time when space travel was 2-3 people in a capsule and for a short duration visit.

[@Lee-yc1if]

They should send lots of small supply ships first that can go into orbit and land when needed. Also placing several space stations in between Earth and Mars in a orbital pattern, that could be used to travel to in steps like a road trip. The small supply ships could also be used for housing.

[@Rob-eg8qc]

It's going to be a great achievement for humanity to step onto Mars, but unfortunately it won't be for anyone over 50 years old we will never get to see the landing and that includes me, we are going to miss this great achievement.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@carlguile2856]

😂 no disrespect to Buzz, fantastic contributions. You’re still funny. SpaceX is going to Mars with or without NASA.

[@greggweber9967]

Both taxis have to speed up to meet, join, transfer, and release in just the right way so that the cycler can continue its loop. There's a big difference between going up and down the gravity well. I think if you have to take the slow boat to the loop beyond to approach the destination from the other side, there are problems to be solved.

[@brianarries7852]

I think in a few more years we will see Starships taking off just as Frequently as Falcon 9’s

[@ingridhohmann3523]

A thousand ways to die, on Mars and on earth 🌎

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Mr. Musk's, the Confidence Man and White Nationalist, revisiting the Soviet N1 rocket as it won't likely happen. As he has been developing it with money that was supposed to be for the moon lander, so just like the "Full Self Crashing", Mr. Musk is looking at Felony Fraud Charges which include Felony Murder Charges. This is also why he has been budding up with Mr. Trump, a Convicted Felon, as they both need to win the election to avoid prison...

[@AgraFarmsllc]

Why do we need to compromise? Instead we need to be working with all of the current plans and instead add to them in a big way. Our biggest problem is not Starship but the politics on earth in regards to Mars. I am working on a plan better suited getting to Mars , staying and coming back using economies of scale, not yet used for space operations or infrastructure.

[@anjou6497]

Can you elaborate ?

[@AgraFarmsllc]

@@anjou6497 I will once we finish our conversation with several groups.

[@ChaosXOtaku]

i think the mini star ship is a good idea but you have the main star ship go to mars & stay in mars orbit with the mini star ship going down to the surface of mars which would make the mini star ship like the lunar lander that was used during the Apollo missions

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Makes more sense to send the return fuel to Mars on a Holman transfer that uses the least amount of fuel to get there. Another is to set up fuel production on the moon and be able to use the lower gravity to our advantage.

[@NOM-X]

Makes so much sense

[@MukiBlalock]

The methane fuel as a concept shows A LOT OF POTENTIAL as it might relate to future missions to deep space and Saturn's 🌕 moon, TITAN as there are litteral rivers of liquid methane on the surface of this moon. TITAN COULD BECOME LIKE A MID SOLAR SYSTEM GAS STATION!😂😂😂 LITERALLY!!!😂🎉❤