Who wants to take a trip to Mars?
 

Before you shout ME!, consider this: In a recent book about space travel ("Packing For Mars"), the author said that you can expect about 15 to 20% loss of bone-mass during 6 months of weightlessness. And an expedition to mars (round trip) would take about 3 years. You have to wonder if you'd have any bones left by the time you got back.

Whatever bones you have left might break upon your return-landing, as you would have to withstand a force 10 to 12 times earth's gravity.

What about cost?: It has been estimated that it would cost $500,000 billion.

Any volunteers? :thumbup:

I know a person or two I wouldn't mind sending

the Mars program recently proposed a ONE way trip only. They are looking for volunteers to colonize the planet. T there is no capabily in existence to conduct a return preparation and launch.

One way ticket to Mars? Really?

btk

As I said I know a person or two I wouldn't mind sending

:clap2::clap2::clap2:....but, only one or two?

are you kidding me??? lol sometimes I feel like I'm living on Mars !

Not wanting to hijack the Mars thread but i saw a cartoon recently when two astronauts landed on the moon and saw a woman's body laying in a crater. After the first astronaut climbed down into the large hole he turned the body over and cried out. "Oh my God. Its Alice Kramden".

:eclipsee_gold_cup::clap2::1rotfl::thumbup:

I had that cartoon taped to my credenza in my office for awhile. A lot of the younger folks that work here had no idea who Alice Kramden was. Had never even heard of the Honeymooners. Unbelievable!

Great memories at a more simpler time in life. Ralph and Ed were fantastic. Wouldnt trade those days for anything today has to offer.

EXs would be top on the list for many

Funny, bone loss, never returning to earth, all the potential hardships and I'd still jump at the chance, but not with a group of truly unpleasant people. So, could you please leave your unwanted people here on earth (find 'em an uninhabited island)?

I don't think that there is an uninhabited island anywhere on earth that's near large enough to hold them all!

I think some of the drivers around here MUST BE from Mars so why leave?

I have no interest in Mars, but I'd like a nice trip to Key West. :girlneener:

Birthday gift?

That's kinda hard to just pull out that kind of money from Uranus.



:laugh:


.

In the early days, NASA did a lot of psychological testing to see how people would get along for extended periods of time in a small space. The result was not very good. It doesn't take long before the astronauts start disliking each other intensely. They don't talk much and try to avoid looking at each other. For one thing, they may stink for lack of bathing.

So, if you don't get along well with people here on earth, chances are you won't like going to Mars. (Not to mention the problems of going to the "bathroom" in zero gravity and the fact that the food is terrible, but that's another story.)

Good points. http://www.popsci.com/science/articl...-way-trip-mars

As to reduction in bons loss. I am doing fine and my wife in fact startled her doc who discovered that my wife is actually growing bone.

Finally the only way I wold want to travel anywhere would be if Scotty could beamme up. I don't travel well

Yes, you can grow bone. I forgot to mention that the astronauts, after they came back, recovered almost all of their bone mass. However, the author stated that it doesn't come back the same as it was originally. It depends on which bones get stressed the most during exercise. It doesn't seem to come back on the hips very well because there's no good way to exercise or put stress on hips.

They experimented with dropping or banging the hip onto the floor from a height of about 4 to 6 inches. It worked a little but was not seen as being very effective. A word of caution: If a person has osteoporosis, they might break their hip if they try that.

So it seems the danger of breaking a hip, which could be life threatening, is still a problem, for those who have osteoporosis. I learned by reading that exercising doesn't build up all bones equally. Walking or jogging will help build up leg bones. Lifting hand weights will help build up arm bones etc.. (use it or lose it). Exercise the bones you wana keep healthy seems to be the rule.

By the way, if you lose bone mass and then gain it back, there's no way to tell if the bones are stronger or weaker than they were originally. And bone mass is not the same as bone strength; a big boned person could have weak bones while a small boned person might have strong bones.