American scientist, engineer, publicist and founder of Mars Society Robert Zubrin presented his research on first human spaceflights to the Red Planet called ‘Directly to Mars in 10 Years’ to Skolkovo Space Cluster Club.
Robert Zubrin and his allies suggest that space explorers should switch from science fiction concept of sending gigantic spaceships to Mars to real engineering and usage of existing technologies. This mission can be realized by sending a heavy rocket-ship, such as the one already designed by Rocket-and-Space Corporation Energia. “If a powerful vehicle can deliver several dozens of tons of cargo directly to Mars, this means that the way from the science fiction to reality is covered by 90%,” – said Zubrin.
The space engineer envisages the carrier vehicle with a 10-meter diameter and a Martian manned module with 8-meter diameter. His key idea is that fuel for the return flight and also for conducting research at Mars surface should not be dragged from Earth, but should be produced on Mars.
This would allow saving three quarters of weight for the return flight. Zubrin assumes that Mars has all the necessary resources to create fuel on-site. A small reactor with 100 kW capacity delivered to the planet with the first automatic ship with no astronauts will allow getting water and methane from liquefied hydrogen and carbon dioxide that are sufficient in Mars’s atmosphere. Water will be automatically turned into oxygen. Oxygen and methane will be liquefied and placed in the vehicle’s tanks in order to go back to Earth. In 10 months it will be possible to generate fuel for the return flight and there will be some left for mars rovers’ journeys.
Robert Zubrin with his book The Case for Mars
It is widely known that Mars is in the best position for flights from Earth every 26 months. According to Zubrin a mission to Mars should include several stages: flights to Mars and back should take 6 months each and a year and a half can be spent on the planet. The scientist is for spending on Mars maximum time. Explorations of the planet, finding water there, a reply to the eternal question about life on Mars are crucially important for our understanding of the universe. If we get a positive answer, it will be clear that we exist in a living universe.
Robert Zubrin (left), Sergei Zhukov (center), Dmitry Paison
PHOTO ALBUM OF THE EVENT