Horizon on Mars tonight

[Astro Imp]

Another hit for Horizon, really enjoyed it. 

I felt a more in depth look at some of the topics would have been interesting. For instance what were the results from the laying in bed experiments.

[DaveS]

One thing, the NASA guy made out that the geodetic webbing on the fuel tank was their idea, when they had just copied the structure from the old Welington bomber of WWII.

[spike95609]

Personally i'd like to see a permanent lunar base set-up, which can be used as a test-bed for any Mars mission technology, before we take the steps to the red planet. Could be used to test remote/robot base building, landers, rovers etc... More achievable and might spark international cooperation like the ISS which could continue for any future human Mars exploration. But then again I doubt NASA will listen to me.

Absolutely, I think this is far more important than a one-off trip to Mars just to say that we've done it. A base on the moon would be a perfect test-bed for how to survive in space for extended periods, coping in a low gravity environment, growing your own food, creating your own water, generating your own power, producing your own oxygen maybe. And if anything goes wrong, help is nearby. I'd say this is more ambitious and of more use in terms of advancing space exploration than throwing everything into going to Mars once.

[Cath]

A moon base would be a perfectly sensible start really, certainly in preference to trying to do it on Mars without ever having tried it before.

But then, when pollyticks are involved their is no such thing as common sense, it flies out the window and deep into outer space!

[spurius]

9.00 O Clock BBC2 Horizon on planned manned exploration of Mars.

Dave

Watched it on BBC Eye Player. Was very interesting I thought. Not just Mars but it shows just how unexpectedly hazardous manned spaceflight is.

[Robbo AR]

Saw it on  Iplayer too. Really interesting programme showing just how hard it's going to be. I vote for the moonbase too as it makes perfect sense to test subjects in zero g for long periods of time and see how it affects them.

[Macavity]

Thought provoking too? "Obvious", unless you expel solid waste at significant velocity,

it's going to remain with you during flight - And mostly arrive with you at the destination.

A literal shower of the proverbial, I suppose.

[Sandancer10]

Missed it - drat - will have to watch it on catch up. 

[jason.p]

Just watched it on I-player. Excellent programme. Seems like there are possible answers to most problems (except maybe getting back!). International cooperation may be the way to go, so the biggest problem could be political rather than technical.

Personally I am sure that it will be achieved, but very doubtful in my lifetime!

[Kropster]

A good 'old school' Horizon.

Plenty of facts and no fancy quick cut, 'wobbly vision' camera work that has plagued recent episodes.

[Davey-T]

Better than last nights one on Asteroids, strange camera work, close ups of ears and noses and irritating music that sounded like the soundtrack to a seventies porno movie

Dave

[petergc]

[Alien 13]

Great program but i agree a luna base must come first and an orbiting luna space station.

Alan

[Kropster]

Do you need an orbiting lunar space station if you have a lunar base?

Might a station in high orbit round Earth be more useful?

[Astro Imp]

irritating music that sounded like the soundtrack to a seventies porno movie

Dave

How do you know? 

[Davey-T]

How do you know? 

I was young once, seem to remember they were on 8mm film, don't pretend you've never seen one

Dave

[petergc]

Very interesting show. So much that needs to be perfected tho. Would I want to go????? No thanks as cool as it would be, I would rather just chill on the moon than mars.

[Kropster]

Yes indeed... stick to the Moon....give Mars a miss.