Life on Mars?

The rocket has the ability to become more transparent or more opaque as the needs arise.... Hope you liked it!

 

and more transparent

 

All systems functioning normally Captain. Yes, I made it. Too bad about those 3 lunkheads though. I told them not to stop to get a snack before launch.

 

"Well, it's a good thing that we took this mission, otherwise we might not have discovered that the earth is round!"

 

All onboard navigation systems are optimal. Life support is functioning at prescribed preasure and 02 content.

 

Yeah, but I've got a plan to cover this contingency (I was afraid there might be some problem with tardiness!)




Yes, bigc the crystalline lexanhull looks very good and
it is very convenient too!

 

That is a very impressive launch Captain (and crew!). Very good work!!!

 

Hey thanks Dan!

Some people had the time to take photographs....

 

Captain, I have run a long range atmospheric scan on the planet Mars.

Mars Statistics
Mass (kg) 6.421e+23
Mass (Earth = 1) 1.0745e-01
Equatorial radius (km) 3,397.2
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 5.3264e-01
Mean density (gm/cm^3) 3.94
Mean distance from the Sun (km) 227,940,000
Mean distance from the Sun (Earth = 1) 1.5237
Rotational period (hours) 24.6229
Rotational period (days) 1.025957
Orbital period (days) 686.98
Mean orbital velocity (km/sec) 24.13
Orbital eccentricity 0.0934
Tilt of axis (degrees) 25.19
Orbital inclination (degrees) 1.850
Equatorial surface gravity (m/sec^2) 3.72
Equatorial escape velocity (km/sec) 5.02
Visual geometric albedo 0.15
Magnitude (Vo) -2.01
Minimum surface temperature -140°C
Mean surface temperature -63°C
Maximum surface temperature 20°C
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 0.007
Atmospheric composition
Carbon Dioxide (C02) 95.32%
Nitrogen (N2) 2.7%
Argon (Ar) 1.6%
Oxygen (O2) 0.13%
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 0.07%
Water (H2O) 0.03%
Neon (Ne) 0.00025%
Krypton (Kr) 0.00003%
Xenon (Xe) 0.000008%
Ozone (O3) 0.000003%

 

Had to make slight course correction, less than expected. Inifinity is holding her course like a true pro.

 

Thank you to both of you for your input: research and good advice as well! ALthough they were late, the 3 Stooges assisted in our departure.

 

Well, I'm glad they got to see our launch.
Oh, Science Officer. I recommend you change course again. We're getting awfully close to that comet.

 

I have installed the nav computer to take evasive action to all know comets and astroids. To follow is an excerpt of the list.





If you need these ephemerides www.geocities.jp/mtnsuzuki/damocloid.htm(Mr. Masayuki Suzuki's Homepage).


T q e Peri. Node Incl. epoch obs. arc. H G opp U M a ref.
00944/ Hidalgo 20050121.60411 1.9508671 0.6604175 56.56842 21.54924 42.56720 20040714 221 1920 1999 10.770.15 16 0 346.28533 5.7448987 MPC 35055
02060/ Chiron 19960213.17800 8.4402621 0.3818600 339.42538 209.25559 6.93493 20040714 560 1895 1998 6.5 0.15 29 0 60.04533 13.6542888 MPC 31577
05145/ Pholus 19910930.01702 8.7096504 0.5735369 355.17742 119.27063 24.69740 20040714 282 1977 2001 7.0 0.15 14 0 49.88082 20.4229871 MPO 25663
05335/ Damocles 19901208.63417 1.5733378 0.8670576 191.21133 314.15046 62.09577 20040714 47 1991 1992 13.3 0.15 2 120.22787 11.8347329 MPC 20799
08405/ Asbolus 20020727.36779 6.8350326 0.6188303 290.22000 6.03394 17.64365 20040714 149 1995 2001 9.0 0.15 7 1 9.31478 17.9317312 MPO 13524
15504/1999 RG33 19980724.10676 2.1374115 0.7722804 273.64836 23.66969 34.93909 20040714 138 1996 2000 12.1 0.15 4 1 74.78354 9.3861551 MPO 8365
20461/ Dioretsa 19991114.58483 2.3895888 0.8995053 102.64753 297.38070 160.40042 20040714 273 1999 2000 13.8 0.15 3 0 14.47954 23.7782565 MPO 7841
31824/ Elatus 19980720.40522 7.2618560 0.3855614 281.79067 87.29620 5.27208 20040714 207 1998 2001 10.1 0.15 4 1 53.01759 11.8186846 MPO 18900
32511/2001 NX17 20010413.60604 2.8932623 0.4273516 345.47028 285.93834 8.92743 20040714 127 1990 2003 12.7 0.15 6 0 103.05030 5.0524237 MPO 53567
37117/2000 VU2 20001225.99738 3.0921037 0.5530476 180.47645 248.68530 13.75141 20040714 158 1984 2002 13.2 0.15 3 1 70.19736 6.9181947 MPO 24800
60558/2000 EC98 20150502.11702 5.8657323 0.4547890 162.54710 173.31080 4.33401 20040714 82 2000 2003 9.5 0.15 4 3 249.84164 10.7586463 MPO 44469
65407/2002 RP120 20021006.60167 2.4729502 0.9558048 358.00164 39.19398 119.11243 20040714 487 2001 2003 12.3 0.15 3 0 1.52210 55.9551760 MPO 46237
/1996 PW 19960803.97276 2.5370564 0.9902554 181.70155 144.61948 29.75952 20040714 249 1996 1997 14.0 0.15 2 0.68061 260.3551049 MPC 31142
/1997 MD10 19971106.35882 1.5451020 0.9417842 68.94164 281.71432 59.13095 20040714 115 16.0 0.15 1 1 17.59996 26.5409391 MPC 31010
/1998 HO121 19970328.68626 2.9388810 0.5872034 325.43476 180.62688 12.00104 20040714 16 12.3 0.15 1 6 138.23584 7.1194408 MPO 3894
/1998 QJ1 19980808.80269 2.1065179 0.8129704 3.95110 311.75875 23.48774 20040714 51 16.5 0.15 1 3 56.48327 11.2630187 MPC 33080
/1998 WU24 19980814.76201 1.4275279 0.9061385 304.21162 103.07390 42.55539 20040714 62 15.0 0.15 1 3 35.89715 15.2088757 MPC 34031
/1999 LE31 19981218.37417 4.3210693 0.4684107 32.44940 292.06597 151.86662 20040714 125 1999 2000 12.4 0.15 2 2 86.52989 8.1285859 MPO 2649
/1999 XS35 19991019.11084 0.9535184 0.9467740 333.06897 49.18974 19.43852 20040714 206 17.2 0.15 1 2 22.48612 17.9145238 MPC 39559
/2000 AB229 19991212.32432 2.3004129 0.9567714 171.95830 313.94031 68.70891 20040714 194 14.0 0.15 1 2 4.25444 53.2150686 MPC 39582
/2000 DG8 20010110.24706 2.2284805 0.7937276 222.29608 279.12984 129.38106 20040714 124 2000 2001 13.1 0.15 2 2 35.54822 10.8035808 MPO 9789
/2000 HE46 20000324.20687 2.3617416 0.8997277 82.24947 313.27513 158.45909 20040714 118 2000 2000 14.8 0.15 2 2 13.56122 23.5532803 MPO 33875
/2000 KP65 19990519.03601 3.2762744 0.9632764 322.10296 223.58242 45.61526 20040714 20 10.5 0.15 1 2 2.20239 89.2144130 MPO 50477
/2000 QJ46 20001206.97597 1.9088683 0.6730784 222.17382 158.09442 4.42103 20040714 25 13.8 0.15 1 4 91.86270 5.8389178 MPO 13685
/2000 WE194 19990219.22958 3.4435915 0.3879898 20.45530 9.21197 14.10001 20040714 31 1998 2000 15.8 0.15 2 5 145.60657 5.6266898 MPO 15824
/2001 QF6 20020131.27647 2.2669774 0.6873879 240.40257 144.27573 24.23903 20040714 70 1982 2002 15.3 0.15 3 1 45.15760 7.2517262 MPO 57835
/2001 QQ199 20020127.51493 3.0071082 0.4350597 192.85282 213.13449 42.37378 20040714 135 1989 2003 12.5 0.15 3 1 72.10995 5.3228778 MPO 43410
/2001 YK61 20020116.94288 3.2695442 0.6939522 15.93778 83.65198 12.33503 20040714 28 13.7 0.15 1 3 25.65951 10.6831162 MPO 33953
/2003 CC22 20030914.74540 4.2010493 0.4317338 38.26640 123.94905 6.39899 20040714 30 2003 2003 15.8 0.15 2 3 14.86971 7.3927488 MPO 56744
/2003 QD112 19980404.36574 7.9829383 0.5590514 272.90140 0.55643 14.70392 20040714 6 10.7 0.15 1 7 29.33437 18.1040111 MPO 57933
/2003 UY283 20030224.84518 3.5063502 0.8951884 311.28518 40.13410 18.89522 20031028 44 15.3 0.15 1 1.24875 33.4538371 MPO 58040
/2003 WG166 20031228.43528 1.8377667 0.6438267 7.58988 67.41238 55.41286 20031207 67 17.8 0.15 1 358.19744 5.1597542 MPO 58078
/2003 WN188 20040409.11114 2.1995408 0.8490778 41.25105 123.59503 26.94637 20040714 136 14.1 0.15 1 2 1.69865 14.5740046 E2004-D14
/2004 AE9 20040106.15921 1.8301320 0.6444306 286.06788 189.17954 1.64719 20040714 77 17.5 0.15 1 4 16.02347 5.1470457 E2004-D03
/2004 CJ39 20030524.74871 6.7661006 0.4776039 133.66040 334.97199 3.57722 20040205 10 14.0 0.15 1 5.41829 12.9520504 E2004-D39
/2004 CM111 20030701.81161 4.9425222 0.8506940 83.40634 33.59069 4.65645 20040205 39 14.1 0.15 1 1.12909 33.1033059 E2004-D39
/2004 DZ61 20040526.84502 2.0135262 0.9564289 44.45625 172.79419 66.81875 20040714 201 15.5 0.15 1 4 0.15108 46.2124252 E2004-E10
/2004 DA62 20040327.74335 4.1746346 0.4776728 174.88036 31.96094 53.50343 20040225 42 13.0 0.15 1 E 358.61534 7.9923745 E2004-E1

 

In 57 days when we reach mars this is the elliptical orbit we will achive before attempting a landing on the surface.

 

Well done bigc! Also...can you bring up for me the gravity figures for the Martian surface?



Wow! This ship (and our fearless crew) is superb!
Looking at the replay from our cameras, look how
we avoided the comet! Any lesser ship or crew
and we might have suffered a tragic accident!

 

It was a close shave, wasn't it?

 

Here are the gravity specs. you wanted with escape velocity included

 

A good ship and a good crew.

 

Ok, and I want to know, compared to the moon, on which we are 7 times lighter, how much lighter will we be on Mars?

 

The gravity on earth is (approximatly) three times stronger than that of mars. A 200lb person would only weigh 60lb on mars


Mars is a planet with about 1/3 the surface of the earth. So it has about the same amount of land as earth has dry land. Mars has a gravity of 0.38g, earth has 1g. At 0.38g human beings probably live with no side effect like bone shrinking. Plants don't need any gravity and therefore feel perfectly comfortable at such a gravity

 

This sounds like modern science's cure for anorexia!

 

I might just stay. easier than a diet.

 

It is 12:27 AM
04/03/04
All systems are now on full automatic. all backups are on auto start. All crew members are required to get a minum of five hours sleep.

The emergency alarm systems are tested and activated.
Chief science officer bigc73542
space ship inifinity.
Seven + hours into mars mission /wilders/exploration/ mission 1X

will resume my post and run diagnostics of all systems at 1200 hrs 04/04/04

 

Congrats on a great lift off, crew!

I already took my five hours of sleep, so now it's my shift and.... your bacteriologist has great news!

Sorry if I didn't seem present at launch-No time for taking pictures: I was working!
I believe I've found a fabulous breakthrough for solving any foreseeable energyreserve problems on our long journey to Mars. Still working on it, but having high hopes! I brought the little bugger along
What do you think, captain and fellow engineers?

Uranium bug has power potential

Together with some US scientists I have decoded and analysed the genome of a bacterium which could help clear up radioactive waste and possibly even generate electricity.
The Geobacter species has genes that allow it to convert uranium and other radionuclides dissolved in water to solid compounds that can be extracted.

Its ability to manipulate electrons in metals could form the basis of a bio-battery.
The genetic research on the bug is reported in the journal Science.

The organism, called Geobacter sulfurreducens, was found in a soil sample in Oklahoma that was contaminated by hydrocarbons - the breakdown products of fossil fuel combustion.

Researchers at The Institute for Genomic Research (Tigr) and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, tell Science the bacterium has extraordinary capabilities.

Sense and move

The Massachusetts workers have previously shown that Geobacter species can precipitate a wide range of radionuclides and metals (including uranium, technetium and chromium) from groundwater, preventing them from migrating to wells or rivers where they may pose a risk to humans and the environment.

Now, the genomic research has given some insights into how this is possible.


The team has already shown how the bug can remove uranium from groundwater
G. sulfurreducens has 100 or more genes that appear to encode for various forms of c-type cytochromes. These are proteins that help move electrons back and forth.

They enable G. sulfurreducens to "reduce" metal ions - in essence adding electrons to positively charged metal atoms so that they become insoluble in water and precipitate as part of solid compounds.

These compounds are then more easily removed.

Small charges of electricity are also created through the reduction process and this has raised the possibility that Geobacter could form part of a bio-battery.

"Research based on genome data has shown that this microbe can sense and move towards metallic substances, and in some cases can survive in environments with oxygen."

G. sulfurreducens was previously thought to be an anaerobic organism.

Nature's 'toolbox'

Sequencing the genome of G. sulfurreducens has radically changed our concepts of how this organism functions in subsurface environments.

The genome analysis revealed previously unsuspected physiological properties of the bacterium and also gave scientists insight into the metabolic mechanisms that the organism uses to harvest energy from the environment.

"The genome of this tiny micro-organism may help us to address some of our most difficult cleanup problems and to generate power through biologically-based energy sources," Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said.

"Geobacter is an important part of Nature's toolbox for meeting environmental and energy challenges.

"This genome sequence and the additional research that it makes possible may lead to new strategies and biotechnologies for cleaning up groundwater at Department of Energy and at industry sites."

So... I think I can cover our onboard hygiene for starters with this little fellow but am aiming for more ofcourse:
We better find that water on Mars !!!

btw Looking outside now and am thrilled by the experience, YIHAAAAA !

I'll watch over you when you sleep oh crew - salute!

Slammer

 

Just remember, the word diet is just the word die with a t on the end.