Philip Metzger, a research physicist at NASA KSC, reviews 13 Things to Do with Space Water – Moonandback.
Check out lots of other interesting posts at Dr Metzger’s blog: The Coming Revolution of Civilization in Space!
Category Archives: Living in Space
Three ISS Expedition 36 crew members back on earth after 166 days in orbit
Three ISS crewmembers returned to earth on Tuesday (US time):
After rentering Earth’s atmosphere, Expedition 36 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin of the Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy landed safely on the steppe of Kazakhstan on Sept. 11. The trio completed 166 days in space.
Earlier in the day they did there farewells on the Station to Expedition 37 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg of NASA and Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency.
Mars One says over 200,000 responded to call for Mars settler applications
The Mars One project released the following statement today:
Over 200,000 apply to first ever recruitment for Mars settlement
Amersfoort, 9th Sep 2013: The first round of the Mars One Astronaut Selection Program has now closed for applications. In the 5 month application period, Mars One received interest from 202,586 people from around the world, wanting to be amongst the first human settlers on Mars.
Mars One applicants come from over 140 countries; the largest numbers are from the United States (24%), India (10%), China (6%), Brazil (5%), Great Britain (4%), Canada (4%), Russia (4%), Mexico (4%), Philippines (2%), Spain (2%), Colombia (2%), Argentina (2%), Australia (1%), France (1%), Turkey (1%), Chile (1%), Ukraine (1%), Peru (1%), Germany (1%), Italy (1%) and Poland (1%).
From this applicant pool, the Mars One Selection Committee will select prospective Martian settlers in three additional rounds spread across two years. By 2015, six-ten teams of four individuals will be selected for seven years of full-time training. In 2023, one of these teams will become the first humans ever to land on Mars and live there for the rest of their lives.
Each Round 1 applicant is now being screened by the Selection Committee, which is expected to take several months. Candidates selected to pass to the next round will be notified by the end of 2013. The second round of selection will start in early 2014, where the candidates will be interviewed in person by the Mars One Selection Committee.
Aspiring martians who have missed Round 1 or could not meet the age restriction can join subsequent Astronaut Selection Programs. Mars One will commence regular recruitment programs as the search for follow-up crews continues.
About Mars One: Mars One is a not-for-profit foundation that will establish a permanent human settlement on Mars in 2023. Human settlement on Mars is possible today with existing technologies. Mars One mission plan integrates components that are well tested and readily available from industry leaders worldwide. The first footprint on Mars and lives of the crew thereon will captivate and inspire generations; it is this public interest that will help finance this human mission to Mars. Mars One will select and train the human crew for permanent settlement. The search for Astronauts began in April 2013. www.mars-one.com
Architects design underground Mars settlement
Dmitry Zhuikov, Arina Ageeva, and Krassimir Krastev of the Russian ZA Architects group lay out an interesting plan for a Mars Colony that starts with robots digging large chambers in basalt bedrock.
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Their guidelines:
Purpose of the project – is in research of the possibility to build permanent settlements on Mars, using robotics and local materials to reduce the price and risks.
resources available on mars
1.The surface of Mars is primarily composed of basalt2. The Phoenix lander directly sampled water ice in Martian soil[3.] Some martian soil appropriate for groving certain agricultures e.g. AsparagusBasalt is good material to make a protectional cave on, to produce insulation, and basalt roving, which is stronger than steel.
Possibility of food production will make Martian settlements independent of expensive deliveries from the Earth.
[Colonization] stages
1. Rocket with digging robots are sent to the Mars
2. Robots drop-off on the surface
3. Robots analyze basalt columns on strength value, then each chooses a weakest pillar that equidistant from the others – it is a start position
4. Robots drill basalt, moving down and increasing diameter of withdrawn rock with each step, until it reaches strong pillars that remain
as columns
5. Chaff set aside to form network of the rampants, in order to protect skylight holes from the wind and dust
6. After caves are ready human [expedition] rush to the Mars
7. Astronauts finish the construction and arrange technical facilities as water, oxygen, basalt processing line, etc.
8. Using generated basalt roving, robots weave spatial spider-like web, that will be used as spaces and construction to hold domestic and technical facilities
They include more info and images…
Copenhagen Suborbitals: Spacesuit testing in high altitude chamber
Copenhagen Suborbitals posts this video about testing a prototype space suit in a pressure chamber:
High altitude chamber test of the Copenhagen Suborbitals / Project Alpha DIY space suit at the main hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark. The test was performed to validate the stability of internal suit pressure and working life support systems in a stressful environment.
http://youtu.be/T4JCItzUMsY