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Martian Quarantine Facility



 
 
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  #11  
Old December 5th 04, 11:38 PM
John Doe
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Jim Oberg wrote:
The reason why I think this concept is so odd,
is that the crew will be in 'quarantine' for the entire trip
home. Anything harmful is bound to manifest itself
during that period. Maybe the facility is to protect
the crew from infection from EARTH, with their
weakened immune systems.


First of all, considering that NASA doesn't have sufficient funds to build
something to get us to LEO, considering the USA is bankrupted with its
currency devaluating on a daily basis, it is therefore highly unlikely that
the US government will be able to justify giving NASA lots of money in the
medium term. Shuttle will fly beyond 2010.

Secondly, at a time when they haven't decided how people will get to mars and
back, it is absolutely ludicrous to start building a quarantine facility for
inbound astronauts, and if that is truly the case, then NASA should be shot
for total incompetence in assigning priorities.

Thirdly, there is already a good quarantine facility: it is called the ISS.

Fourth, it isn't just organisms that affect humans that are important. Lets
say that they brought back some organism which would be very harmful to cows.
This would jeoperdize the whole cow industry in the world by introducing an
organism for which no cow has any immmunity.

And even if there is no life on Mars, the crew will bring life to it, and such
life may mutate and some of it brought back.
  #12  
Old December 5th 04, 11:41 PM
Bill the Cat
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John Doe wrote in :

Is this a pre-flight facility to ensure astronauts don't catch a cold
before launch ?


Yes, both at JSC and KSC.


  #13  
Old December 5th 04, 11:43 PM
Bill the Cat
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John Doe wrote in :

Thirdly, there is already a good quarantine facility: it is called the
ISS.


It is a lot harder for a returning Mars spaceship to get to ISS than the
Earth's surface.
  #14  
Old December 6th 04, 01:52 AM
Johh Doe
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Bill the Cat wrote:
It is a lot harder for a returning Mars spaceship to get to ISS than the
Earth's surface.


Yes. But consider the size of a mars ship capable of keeping a crew sane and
in good health for 2 stretches of 6 month trips. If you do not re-insert the
big ship in earth orbit upon arrival, then you lose it all is big fireworks
over the pacific (can they plan such a long trip for exact splash down into
the pacific ?

Thing is that any ship coming back from outer space and entering earth
atmosphere risks contaminating earth as soon as they open the hatch. And I'd
say that a spasldown in an ocean would be far mre dangerous of contaminating
earth than a landing in Kasakstan.

If they are serious about quarantine, the quarantine will be done in orbit
with proper equipment. So either you have the equipment on the mars ship, or
the occupants transfer to such a facility in orbit prior to coming back.
  #15  
Old December 6th 04, 05:20 AM
Bill the Cat
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Johh Doe wrote in :

Bill the Cat wrote:
It is a lot harder for a returning Mars spaceship to get to ISS than
the Earth's surface.


Yes. But consider the size of a mars ship capable of keeping a crew
sane and in good health for 2 stretches of 6 month trips. If you do
not re-insert the big ship in earth orbit upon arrival, then you lose
it all is big fireworks over the pacific (can they plan such a long
trip for exact splash down into the pacific ?


Are you really so unimaginative as to believe that the only two choices for
the Mars ship are "brake into LEO" or "fireworks over the Pacific"?

Has the possibility not occurred to you to leave the main Mars ship in an
Earth-Mars cycling orbit while a small capsule returns the crew to Earth?

If they are serious about quarantine, the quarantine will be done in
orbit with proper equipment. So either you have the equipment on the
mars ship, or the occupants transfer to such a facility in orbit prior
to coming back.


If an off-Earth quarantine is deemed mandatory (and I'm far from convinced
it is), the moon would be far easier to reach from Mars-Earth transfer
orbit than anything in LEO.


 




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