Wow, folks, do yourself a favor and read the two recent articles concerning the Mars Society (MS). I know a lot of people think I understate the difficulty of putting people on Mars, but this information that they are gathering is winning half the battle.

The other half is something we've done 35 years ago. Building the ship to take people to Mars isn't something we haven't done. Americans and Russians have nothing if they don't have LEO construction and repair experience. So assembling a ship shouldn't be that hard even if it is constructed in LEO.

What we can do is gather all the skills needed to not just survive, but to thrive on the martian surface. The MS is busy testing skills that will be used once people are there. They are growing plants, repairing suits and equipment, making bricks to build structures out of, testing environmental and life support systems for endurance. Also not to be over-looked is the psychological testing they are doing. I have always believed that a group of people united in their life's pursuit would work better together not worse and it seems I'm right.

So lets quickly look at NASA's reasons for not going just yet:
1)Radiation-In transit radiation concerns can be overcome by providing a lead sheilded 'escape' room to wait out hours long solar storms. Surface radiation is dealt with by computer warnings in spacesuits that let you know how long you've been outside and what risks you are running staying outside.
2)Water-We now know water exists just a few feet below most of the martian surface. Cheap automated machines could be deposited strategically across the surface of Mars so that you are never far from emergency water. They could consist of only a hollowed out drill, empty tank, solar panels, and a small compter whose task is to regulate heat into the drill to melt the ice and pump water out, and an appropriate filter to get salts and metals out of the water.

The radiation question I feel is the toughest while enroute to Mars, I am wondering if there is another way to protect the crew other than lead sheilding which is quite heavy. Are there other materials that also block radiation that are lighter than lead would also be something to put research money into.

I am thinking of the ESD farraday bags that are used to protect electronic circuits from electro static discharge. Would something of simular design do the job with embeded magnetic fields?

Also water capture system could be a mobile surface heating unit that would allow the evaporating water to collect within a dome and or be sucked up by a suction system something like a rug vac after being heated.

Another thought about repair of any apperatus that is brought to the moon or to Mars, the crew must have the ability to have hand made parts when it breaks, since few electronic components (semiconductor parts; transistor, IC's and doides)will be available these designs. They should be more low tech (electical mechanical) rather than filled with advanced techonologies since spares would be hard to bring unless critical.

Harold, funny you should mention water. one proposal I heard was that the water supply astronauts will need to carry to Mars should be stored around a small room thereby giving astronuats more protection during soalr storms. I like this idea becuase it requires no or little extra material to be carried from earth. Since the radiation will come from one direction we need not build a perfect enclosure. The sheilding could be situated in a way to be between the astronauts and the sun while enroute to Mars.
And again, I wish all countrys sending craft to Mars would standardize all components going to Mars so that parts would be compatable and old craft could be salvaged for parts in an emergency.