Strange but True Stories of Mars
In this astronaut training photo, notice the US partner flags around the pool wall.
Pixabay
The Importance of Mars
When NASA's Mars rovers landed on the fourth planet from our sun, we learned much about the science of Mars, but lost the imagination, legends, and hopes called forth by Ray Bradbury's world of The Martial Chronicles.
When Kim Stanley Robinson wrote the Mars Trilogy, we gained some of that imagination and hope for brother humanoids back, along with a lot more science. Altogether, what does this information show that is unique about the planet named for the Roman god of war?
The world of Mars in the 2010s offers quite different stories that are offered below.
morgueFile
Space Patrol Is a Reality
Conceived in 2007, the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and America's NASA and US Air Force formed a combined military air force, aerospace patrol, or space force (the Japanese preference) with operations beginning in 2019.
Japanese leaders call the aerospace frontier The Fourth Battlefield - according to Kelsey-Campbell Dollaghan in a strong article placed by GISMODO under a heading at "Star Wars."
The two nations have several ongoing aerospace projects already, involving spacecraft and spacecraft component manufacture, forecasting hurricanes, and other space age concepts.
America and Japan initially joined forces to build a debris elimination air fleet, concerned about the amount of near-Earth orbit debris has been accumulated in that part of the atmosphere after decades of aerospace related missions since the 1950s. That mission is still vital for ensuring the safety of future aerospace missions by all nations of Earth.
Much speculation involves the likely possibility that the new fleet will also patrol the upper atmosphere (near-Earth outer space). TV's Space Patrol of the 1950s seems now a reality and Netflix's Space Force carries on the tradition in the 21st century.
Another main goal will be monitoring military activity in space, information that will also be shared with the U.S. Strategic Command. In other words, this is our first step into a truly militarized space.
— Kelsey-Campbell Dollaghan 8/4/2014
War College Graduate Joins ISS In 2017
Many event converge on the year 2017 in outer space.
US astronaut Randy Bresnik will travel to the International Space Station on Expedition 54 in 2017. Considering his resume, we might consider his mission to be linked to the aerospace patrol of the combined American and Japanese forces.
This experienced astronaut graduated from The Citadel Military College in South Carolina with bachelor’s degree in mathematics. From there, he proceeded to earn a master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee. Afterward, he graduated from the US Air Force Air War College in 2008.
If the US decides to include Bresnik in debris elimination or space patrolling missions between Earth and Mars, he may be well qualified to do so.
Israeli-American Mars Project
In October 2015, NASA reported on their website that the American space agency and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) signed agreements to extend an ongoing partnership to support NASA’s Mission to Mars and points outward from the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Some speculation may increase that this extension is for the purposes of supporting Israel in any future Middle East engagements and/or to institute an American-Israeli-Japanese Space Force.
The partnership is to expand the following areas of cooperation:
- Additional joint missions, including exploration and operations
- Personnel exchanges between America and Israel
- Science data exchanges
- Dedicated Earth-bound joint research facilities
- R & D and use of scientific instruments on aircraft and spacecraft
- Balloon flights for various testing purposes
- Aerospace communications R & D and use
- Other
Much of this proposed work could expand the NASA Spinoff Program that creates new products for consumer and commercial use from R & D done is space. This includes a handy medical scanner (reference: hub.me/ajhg6).
Israeli space technology is known for being extremely light-weight. Seeing that conserving energy will be vital in any future mission to Mars, we expect our technology to play a key role in such endeavors.
— ISA Chair Isaac Ben-Israel; quoted by NASA 10/15/2015
Sailing in the sky.
Pixabay
Sunjammer Solar Sail Launched in 2017
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, a scientist before he was a sci-fi author, wrote about a workable solar sail in 1963. We now have one in use since 2017, with help from the UK. Other solar sails also have been successful:
- Japan launched a solar sail in 2010 and JAXA is our aerospace partner.
- The Planetary Society launched its LightSail via a US Air Force X-37B robot space plane in May 2015.
The solar sail grabs power from the sun or other stars and uses it to propel aerospace craft. The American-Japanese space fleet may use solar sails for this purpose, but owners of commercial flights would love to have this technology handy - especially on mining expeditions to Mars and the Asteroid Belt.
Habitats for Mars Completed
The European Space Agency and JAXA are scheduled to place inflatable habitats into the atmospheres above Venus and on the ground of Mars. China leadership is planning such habitats for our moon and Mars.
The aerospace agency in Great Britain has already developed "walking habitats" for Mars that look like the Star Wars imperial walkers linked together, and has been using them in the Earth's Antarctic successfully in the 2010s (reference: www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/new-documentary-follows-bbc-weather-presenter-back-to-the-ice/ Retrieved May 11, 2016).
The NASA Mars mission received $55 Million for deep space habitat development in 2016. The first astronauts specifically recruited for Mars expeditions began training in 2013.
Halley VI UK Antarctic Research Station
What's Important on Mars?
Retired Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Pushes For Mars
An America last walked on the moon with the Apollo 17 in 1972, but America exploded a bomb on a large part of the lunar surface in the mid-2010s. The reason for this explosion is not clear to the public, but two Apollo 11 astronauts saw a seemingly man-made structure on the moon and a UFO in space in 1969: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
In the 21st century, Buzz Aldrin pushes for Mars exploration, settlement, and tourism in a big way through several organizations that he founded and promoted.
His motto is "Get your a$$ to Mars" and his premiere organization is Share Space, which sells related T-shirts, mugs, hats, and other items. Another of his mainline activities in Share Space is educating children in STEM subjects with the addition of A for Arts to make STEAM classes that spur creativity. He is involved in the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which provides educational support for STEM majors in college.
.Aldrin is involved also with Paypal Galactic, developing methods of payment for goods and services in space. SETI is also involved with this project.
Getting Ourselves to Mars
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2016 Patty Inglish MS
Comments
Faith Reaper from southern USA on June 04, 2016:
Wow, Patty,
This is all so fascinating! Not sure how one will be able to live on Mars with the low gravity aspect ...It will be interesting to see what the future holds, and I understand now that not many know of all of these endeavors, so thank you for sharing.
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 30, 2016:
@Lawrence - Thanks for that info about India. NASA projects are sometimes too expensive.
Somehow, the problem of low gravity's negative effects on the human body must be handled, if we are to live on Mars. I don't think we want to become toothless jellyfish when bones and teeth disintegrate/fall out otherwise. One theory is that the planet must have a molten core spinning inside like Earth's in order to have gravity. Mars does not have that. Some answer might reveal itself in our lifetimes. - or not. It will be fun to watch the progress, but not fun to see astronauts sicken.
Lawrence Hebb from Hamilton, New Zealand on May 30, 2016:
Patty
I was reading the other day that India has had a probe on Mars for the last couple of years and they got there at about 30% of the cost of a NASA mission!
With Elon Musk saying he actually wants to retire there and building towards colonizing the planet I think it's a real possibility.
I'm hoping that if Jesus doesn't come back in my lifetime then this might be achieved in my lifetime instead.
Blessings
Lawrence
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 17, 2016:
@FitnezzJim - Many possibilities exist in near-Earth Orbit and even as far away as the Asteroid Belt beyond Mars.
We have an astronaut now on the ISS in the beginning stages of 1.5 years living there and since the physical effects on Commander Kelly were huge after a year on the ISS, I think we may find that a longer time in space may be deadly. How much longer to be deadly is what we may find out quickly. My hopes and prayers are ongoing for the ISS crew.
Thanks for your comments!
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 16, 2016:
@Rachel L Alba - We may find things we can use that we have not expected.Kind of exciting.
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 16, 2016:
@FlourishAnyway - All sorts of events are happening in the atmosphere at all ranges and levels. I think we the public know only a small percent of it.
SALVAONEGIANNAOLCOM from south and west of canada,north of ohio on May 16, 2016:
Humans on earth need to get our collective life in order before we send military anywhere else.
mckbirdbks from Emerald Wells, Just off the crossroads,Texas on May 14, 2016:
They blow up my secret getaway on the moon? The bastards.
Patti what an interesting article. I was unaware that the nations of the world were teaming up in their interest in space. U.S./Japan/Israel - that is very diverse.
Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on May 13, 2016:
Buzz Aldrin's passion is beyond imagination and expectation. Paypal Galactic? Not sure what to say, but perhaps he and others will work fast enough to let me see the outcome. Interesting article, as usual.
FitnezzJim from Fredericksburg, Virginia on May 12, 2016:
It sounds like there is a lot of stuff happening that is not making it to mainstream news. Will we even be aware of launches and landings when they occur?
It is interesting that a lot of recent public news has to do with landing rockets and trying to re-use them. Success in such an endeavor might enable launching here, landing on another planet, and having enough power left over to enable a return trip. We first di that in the 1960's with the trips to the moon. If that becomes a regular thing, and we are eventually able to set up habitats and fuel=generating facilities, then the door becomes wide open to the future, and eventually populating other planets.
Great stuff.
Rachel L Alba from Every Day Cooking and Baking on May 12, 2016:
It would be interesting to see what they could really find on Mars.
Elaina Baker from USA on May 11, 2016:
It looks like we're trying hard to make Mars accessible. I didn't know about the bomb blast in space. Kinda makes Star Wars a little more real.
