Cold Berths to Mars

[Spinward Scout]

A NASA-backed study explores an innovative way to dramatically cut the cost of a human expedition to Mars -- put the crew in stasis.

http://www.space.com/27348-nasa-mars-crew-deep-sleep.html

 

[martletsquire]

Uh, like in... 2001 the Movie? Like, whoa, dude.

Serious Duh moment there, NASA. Way to think outside the box...

(Banging head against the wall, banging head against the wall...)

Next thing you know, they'll be talking about a NERVA or something really out there.

Just shaking my head at opportunities wasted.

 

[Ulsyus]

Maybe, but the decision to throw money at a project with a basis that could yield a result is more than a film. Sci fi is incredible in delivering options for what could occur, but the how is different. Too, think if Heinlein's description of how orbital rockets would work, or even simply the timeline in the Perry Rhodan stories about getting to the moon: aren't they, among a pile of examples, enough to make us excited when science does work out a way to do what we've been offering to paying customers in Type A's for decades?