Bas Lansdorp Q&A: 'I hope to go to Mars myself one day'

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/dec/10/bas-lansdorp-mars-one-lockheed-martin

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<strong>Given the difficulty of landing safely on Mars – and the high failure rate on previous attempts – how confident are you that Mars One can pull it off in 2018?</strong>

Mars missions have a reputation for a high failure rate, but this is bad statistics. Of all Nasa missions that attempted to land on Mars, one has failed and seven were successful. For our 2018 lander, Mars One is partnering with Lockheed Martin, which has a distinct legacy of participating in nearly every Nasa mission to Mars. It will be based on the very successful 2007 Nasa Phoenix. For the Phoenix mission, Lockheed Martin designed, built, tested and operated the lander for Nasa. Lockheed Martin will build the 2018 lander and our larger lander, which we will use for the cargo missions and the human missions.

<strong>What system will the craft use to brake its descent through the planet's thin atmosphere?</strong>

The exact design will be determined by Lockheed Martin in its studies, but the 2018 lander will use a heat shield to decelerate in the top layer of the Martian atmosphere. Parachutes will decelerate the spacecraft further and finally the lander will make a propulsive descent.

<strong>How will your robotic mission with Lockheed lay the ground for a future manned mission?</strong>

The robotic mission will demonstrate some of the technologies that are required for permanent settlement on Mars. A power experiment will demonstrate the use of thin film solar panels on Mars and test them on the surface. A water experiment will demonstrate producing liquid water on Mars. Water will be evaporated from the soil and then liquefied.

<strong>What do you think humankind will gain from having a colony on Mars?</strong>

If you study history you will find that technological advances are made in times of war and times of exploration. Going to Mars will trigger a whole series of new technologies, for example in recycling and solar cells. But the most important thing Mars exploration will give us is a common goal for all mankind and the inspiration of achieving the impossible.

<strong>Are you confident you can deliver the promised launch date of 2022 for the manned mission?</strong>

Mars One has announced a two-year delay to make sure we have enough time to develop the two spacecraft for the 2018 mission. We are confident that we can keep the rest of the programme on track, landing the first team on Mars in 2025.

<strong>What criteria will be used </strong><strong>in the selection process</strong><strong>?</strong>

While good health and a good skill set are important, our biggest challenge will be to find teams that are able to leave everything and everyone behind on Earth. They will live together in their small group of four for almost three years before the second crew joins the settlement.

<strong>Are you looking for volunteers without any family ties or partners on Earth?</strong>

When people migrated across the globe, there were no phone connections. Many people left fathers, mothers but also sons and daughters behind. The drive to explore is strong. We will not disqualify people with family ties on Earth. Don't forget that from Mars you can email, voicemail and videomail your friends and family at home. You are never more than 40 minutes away.

<strong>How will Mars One prepare the volunteers for a life of isolation and confinement?</strong>

Mars One will select the applicants carefully, but will also test and train them. Before they leave for Mars in 2024, they will spend extended periods of time in a copy of the Mars outpost here on Earth every year. Teams that do not pass these tests successfully will be eliminated from the astronaut corps.

<strong>How would the astronauts be shielded from radiation during the six-month journey to Mars?</strong>

The Curiosity rover measured radiation on the way to Mars. The astronauts would receive about 400 millisieverts on the way to Mars or about 40% of what Esa allows for its astronauts. Galactic cosmic rays are very hard to shield against on the way to Mars. We will protect against solar radiation by providing a hollow water tank in which the astronauts can take shelter during solar storms.

<strong>How will the they avoid extreme boredom during the seven-month journey in a confined space?</strong>

The inability of a person to be bored will actually be an important selection criterion. Even though they are in a brand new little space station on the way to Mars, there will be plenty to do. They are the first crew leaving the Earth forever: they will be in constant communication with a lot of people on Earth. They will also still study to prepare for their stay in the outpost. What helps is their goal: Mars. The relatively boring trip is not the goal, Mars is. And they will be waiting full of anticipation to arrive there.

<strong>How will they occupy themselves on the red planet?</strong>

The astronauts will spend a lot of time on construction of the settlement, on growing food and on research. To relax, they can do most things we can do here on Earth indoors: playing games, watching TV, communicating with friends.

<strong>How will the astronauts exercise?</strong>

On the way to Mars they will use exercise machines. Living on Mars will be hard work, but there they will also have access to exercise equipment.

<strong>What will they eat? Won't they get bored with typical astronaut rations?</strong>

On the way to Mars they will eat the astronaut rations, but on Mars they will grow their own food. Besides vegetables and other plants they will grow algae and insects. Of course they will have emergency rations in case something goes wrong with food production.

<strong>What kind of research will they do?</strong>

Their trip to and stay on Mars will be a very interesting research topic in itself for physiologists. Another interesting topic will be the history of the solar system, because there are locations on Mars that have much older rocks than the oldest rocks on Earth. Martian life will be another interesting topic. The fields of research will also depend on the interests of the settlers.

<strong>What happens when they get ill? What kind of medications will they take with them?</strong>

They will take a medical kit that will allow them to perform a wide level of procedures and a set of medicine. The exact details are still to be determined. They will be trained to perform a range of procedures and can receive instructions from Earth for procedures that they were not trained for.

<strong>What type of mental health support will the colonists receive from Earth? Will their training include psychotherapy techniques?</strong>

The training will include learning skills to deal with all kinds of situations. On Mars they will exchange regular video mails with the support team on Earth.

<strong>How will Mars One be funded in the long-term, and how much of the financing is dependent on selling television rights?</strong>

Other sources of financing are sponsorships and partnerships and revenues from intellectual property rights. Mars One will become co-owner of the IP [intellectual property] that our suppliers create when designing and building our systems.

<strong>Have any TV companies shown an interest in getting involved in the mission?</strong>

We're in advanced negotiations with a major studio for an overall deal for film and television properties.

<strong>Have you had any advice from Nasa?</strong>

Some of the advisers you find on our advisory board are still active in Nasa or are former employees. At this moment there is no official business relationship between Mars One and Nasa.

<strong>Would you go to Mars if you got the chance?</strong>

I hope to go to Mars one day, but I am certainly not the right material for one of the first crews.

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