I would have never have thought of using these chemicals for a fuel source for Mars that has a CO2 environment. So what kind of Hemi or maybe a Stirling engine do we want in the new Mars buggy. Will it have a MIdas muffler or is noise ok.

Zach and Prozac it is a pleasure to converse with you each and every day on any of the topics. Race, creed, color, religion, nation it does not matter to me for we are all Earthlings first everything else is second, third and so on.

Thanks Harold. Likewise.

As far as I know it is unnecesary to bring fuel as long as there is water on Mars. Just bring solar cells to create energy to split water into oxygen and hydrogen and there is your fuel for the way back.
At the Mars surface solar power alone could be sufficient. But if you like... I think it is in Belgium where they recently invented something to convert a regular fuel using engine into a hydrogen using one. It was on TV, I have no link to this news. Anyway with this gadget you can have your Hemi powered buggy up there. (wow, think of the performance on a low gravity planet:-).

Aw, I feel loved. Do you feel loved Prozac? hehe. Thanks Harold, its always a pleasure to hear your views on things, so keep em coming!

You would still need to collect the oxygen as well, in order to make the hydrogen converted engine work on Mars since the atmospher there is mostly CO2.
The article was actually using the Martian soil which is magnesium rich and a catalyst (iodine) to make it burn in the martian atmospher.
I picture the engine as more like an old steam boiler from the early train days. Basically a heat exchanger system to creat motion.

Yes I feel loved by Harold and it feels great :-)
Zach, I hope my ignorance is not disturbing you. See me as somebody who is not limited by any knowledge. I only started recently with reading stuff about Mars.
You guy(s) know so much about this stuff that the only thing I can do is just think out loud and share my enthousiasm about exploring the universe with others.
You two make visiting marsnews.com a lot more fun for me, thanks!

Yes we seem to share a common kindred spirit of enthusiasm for space exploration and for seeking of knowledge. There is no bother with the questions for the only dumb question is the question that is not asked. I agree that this site is great and I for one greatly appreciate its presence. :-) Oh and thanks, you guy's crack me up.... Keep posting, lets make some noise to get others interested like we are in this new space vision for the future.

Hi Prozac and Harold =)

Prozac, Harold is absolutely right (again)! There are no stupid questions. I am by no means a scientist, or specialist when it comes to Mars. My knowledge, humble though it may be, of Mars has been accumulated by a lifetime passion for that little red planet. As far back as I can remember, I have longed to set foot on Mars, and I won't be truly happy until I do.

I wake up every morning looking forward to what you guys and others have written. I can't stress enough how much delite I get in reading what you two have wrote.

Often times, it takes an 'uneducated' person asking a 'silly' question to shake things up. People, especially scientists, have a habit of excluding possibilities. Here's something to think about, EVERY great idea has been 'silly' at one point.

Speaking of silly ideas....Why can't there be a M-prize? Last night I went to bed thinking of a similar contest to the X-prize. Instead of testing reuseable suborbital crafts, the M-prize contest would reward a 100 million dollar purse to the first organization to grow a flower on Mars (Chris McKay's idea). I love this idea becuase as McKay states, it is a powerful symbol to everyone intrested in Mars.

Imagine a really simple robotic lander landing on Mars, deploying a small .5 meter dome, twisting back and forth to 'drill' a few centimeters into the loose dirt, dropping seeds into the dome, watering at sunrise, and photographing the flowers every hour to produce a time-lapse movie of the flower.

Ok I got carried awy. This was way too long a coment, but what do you guys think? I'm going to try and find the X-prizes official website and propose it to them after I get your feedback. Write me back quick please!!!

I do not know if you have found the xprize link but here it is. http://www.xprize.org/

Great Idea to plant something under a dome. Don't forget the earth worms, and bacteria to help in the teraforming process.

I am just an average space nut also, did well in school with science classes and mathematics but poorly with the language courses.

Also how about a real challenge of orbital flight and delivery to orbit for another prize.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Harold. About the delivery to orbit, do you mean with the current X-prize? I heard that one of the entries to the X-prize already has struck a deal with the US Air Force for a payload. Thanks for the link!!

The Falcon from spacex corporation, http://www.spacex.com/ They however are not part of the xprise contestants. I was meaning from those that are part of the xprise contestents to strive for the orbital next step.

Here is some of the stuff from the constellation site on the de-militization of space that the Russains are asking for.

I think so long as both countries look at space for peiceful ends that there will never be a problem with the use of Satelites but when the first real weapon is there, now then that will open up a whole new cold war. This one will be in outer space rather than around Berlin.

Posted by Harold LaValley at April 12, 2004 06:46 PM

De-militarization of space is a good "ideal" but an unrealistic one. Every medium man has ever conquered has been used in war; the land, on and under the sea, the air and eventually space. It will happen, I only hope free people are prepared to defend space from tyrants.

Posted by Dogsbd at April 14, 2004 08:33 AM

http://space.com/missionlaunches/exp9_update_040415.html

From the side bar today (link above)the next ISS crew hoised up there own respective flags. I went to the link and saw what I think would make a great International space Flag. I think all the international partners should advocate such a process to make space for all nations with pieceful intent recognized as if it were the new UN but of space. Since the UN is here in America then lets make the International Space Exploration union in Russian for all space faring nations to join.

Posted by Harold LaValley at April 15, 2004 09:40 AM

Well, what do you know. Now I totally agree with Harold.
Both the xprize and the ISS are great initiatives.
Lets ask Bill Gates if he would like to grant an Xtremlyhighprize for the first to set foot on Mars. Maybe this guy can smuggle some seeds in his spacesuit so he can win the flower prize as well.
But seriously and back to the subject:
I think the first thing we have to do now after we have located accessable and usable water on Mars is to build small factories that make oxygen and hydrogen out of the water. Besides that water should be distilled there for drinking puroses as well. This will be so helpful in future missions.
The more small factories, the better. When enough reserves are built up there, the founding of a biosphere would be a lot easier.
You two can go up there and live in it.
I'm affraid of heights.

Ok Prozac, I'll email you some pictures from mars when I get there =)

As for funding for the X-tremelyHighPrize, Bill Gates isn't the man you want. Paul Allen, the other founder of Microsoft has shown himself to be much more sympathic to space causes (The ATA Allen Telescope Array and SpaceShip One come to mind). If the X-prize foundation were to adopt an idea similar to mine, then he would be a likely supporter along with current sponcers like Dennis Tito and others.

Any other ideas on what goals could realistically be accomplished for around 100 million? Sending people is out of the question, because that would take billions, not millions.

Zach: what did you think about the International Space UN idea? Would this help to more closely unite the space efforts of the ISS partners?

I think its a fantastic idea Harold. With so many space agencies poping up, now is the time to unify them. I have been saying for years that the space agencies of the world need to standardize parts and measurements. Everyone need to use the metric system for distance and volume.
Also, similar computer components need to be used. Recently I stated the importance of astronauts on the surface of Mars being able to use dead spacecraft for spare parts. If identical parts were used as often as possible it would also make space travel cheaper since there would be more competition in the market. As things are now, very little is reuseable and compatable. When you constantly have to have specail made parts it is of coarse more expensive.
An interplanetary UN will be needed to settle land disputes when people are living on the Moon or Mars. It might also be helpful in preventing LEO (Low Earth Orbit) from becoming the next battle feild.

Harold/Prozac,
Here's a copy of the letter I set to the head of the X-prize. Comments? Corrections?

Dear Peter,

I'll make this quick. Does your team have post x-prize plans? I couldn't find anything on your website about future goals. I have a great idea that would take this awesome project to the next level....
Stay with me. This is my 'Mprize' proposal. A 100 million dollar award to the first organization to grow a flower on Mars. It sounds wacky but it follows the same reasoning as your Xprize, to develop technology to get people somewhere they can't go right now. Robotically planting a flower on Mars would be just the powerful imagery needed to inspire companies and nations around the globe to go to Mars, not to visit, but to stay. Think of it, life growing on Mars. The obvious conection in peoples minds is that if a flower can live there, so can we.
If your organization could find a way to make a 100 million reward possible, then the winner actually stands to make money, and that's a powerful incentive.

Respectfully Yours,
Zach

Harold, go to space.com right now to see LIVE broadcast of the Bush Plan Hearings!!

Change "conection" into "connection" and click "send".

Good one, if they accept your idea, you the man.

Another idea for 100 million... A tree on the moon? I'll sleep on it.

I am on the east coast so I was on my way Home. I plan on listening on the next day as much as I can. The xprize letter seems fine. I hope you get some responses to it from the organization.

I plan on piecing together the space un and standization of parts if thats ok with you Zach and will include the info as it appears on this blog for the commission unless you wish to do it.

So long as the Idea gets to the commission it does not matter who it is from. I have not heard from them for any of the Ideas that I have sent to them at this point. I would have thought there would have been at least a form auto reply letter or something but recieved only a thank you ans a reference number for each entry.

Sounds good Harold. If there's anything I can do besides offering my opinion, just let me know.