March to Mars

Source: mirianda.com: http://miriadna.com/preview/tops

Hi there.

I am now working on a comic-strip series following a fictional manned Mars mission set in 2016 or 2018 based on the Mars Now plan. The planned book may be replaced by this comic series - or maybe based on the comic series. The pieces are slowly coming together.

As for the planned Mars Now Phase III plan. It is still in the works, and is not cancelled.

There may be a Phase IV plan to include longer-term Mars-related plans that were originally going to be in Phase III. This is because the long-term plans still need to be pieced together - currently these plans are not very complete or coherent.

Phase III will focus more on an immediate plan directed towards simply getting people on Mars.

If Mars Now is to become reality. If the Martian frontier is to be opened Now rather than the far future then supporters are needed, awareness is needed.

Help this happen. Help open the doors to the new frontier.

In the 1960s there were only brief orbits in cramped capsules - there was no International Space Station or robotic probes to Mars.

And yet from 1961 to 1969, 8 years, we went from brief cramped orbits to landing people on the Moon.

Yet humanity seems to be struggling to reach Mars within that same 8 years. Despite our technological level and our advancements in spaceflight.

8 years from now is 2021.

The soonest proposed manned Mars mission is set for 2018 - but that's only to flyby. The next launch window is 2020.

7 years from now (2013).

Why?

Must it take so long?

No. Because in the 1960s - 53 to 44 years ago - humankind took cramped capsules and hour-long flights and leaped to spacious moon landers and week long flights.

Today we have spacious capsules capable of holding crew for years on end and even capable of soft landing on solid ground, so nothing even has to be built. All that must be done is to compile existing machinery, but that requires supporters.

So let's do it.

Let us go to Mars.

Now.

Mars Dawn

Source: mirianda.com: http://miriadna.com/preview/amazing-sunset

Hi there. Long time no post.

I know this is greatly delayed, but what of the Google Science Fair?

Unfortunately the Mars Now plan did not make it as as a finalist project. However, I plan to resubmit an improved version of the Mars Now plan at next year's science fair. This may either be the existing Phase II plan - adjusted for the Science Fair of course, or a new plan.

The new plan will be a condensed version of a longer long-term plan. This plan will range from an unmanned 2014 mission concept to a 2018 base-building mission concept.

I am still working on my planned book and will post updates on it's progress occasionally.

Feel free to post any ideas or suggestions relating to the Mars Now project in a comment either on the blog or the Mars Now Google+ page.

Phases of Mars(Now)

Source: mirianda.com: http://miriadna.com/preview/light-blue-space

The expanded Mars Now plan, phase II, is finally here!

You may also have noticed a change in the layout; instead of accessing each document page as a separate blog page all of the document pages have been combined into a single blog page for each of the phases.

I apologize for the delay, but still, it's here now.

Phase III will not be out until after I complete or mostly complete my book; I don't have any definitive timescale in mind for the book or phase III, but I will say that I expect a rough draft to be done in about 3-4 months.

You can't force inspiration or creativity so that's why I am not giving any specific dates.

I will regularly, perhaps once a week, post status updates for the Mars Now project, including status updates for the blog, progress toward an actual mission, etc.

I will also post news relating to Mars missions, especially manned ones, and other related Mars news as it comes.

I ask that you +1 Mars Now to increase its exposure, the more exposure the more likely someone with the means and an interest will find the Mars Now plan and offer to fund an actual mission based off it.

Until next time!

Expansions rising

Source: mirianda.com: http://miriadna.com/preview/eternal-rising

I may have not posted in a long time, but I have some upcoming plans in mind.

First is a new improved and expanded version of the Mars Now plan. Some additions include a surface vehicle idea, expansion to the ion engine idea/section, and a solution to the challenge of deep space radiation. There is much more, but I won't try to fit it all here.

Additionally, I have plans for a book set in late 2014 following the first manned Mars mission. I have some very interesting surprises for the book that I can't wait to share. Alongside the book I will develop a third 'hyper-detailed' version of the Mars Now plan including other ideas relating to space exploration.

I will have the expanded Mars Now plan ready by this weekend or sooner.

Also, from now on the version of the Mars Now plan submitted to the Google Science Fair will be known as the Mars Now Phase 1 plan. The new expanded version upcoming will be known as the Mars Now Phase 2 plan. And the third version; not including the other not-so-directly related space exploration ideas; will be known as the Mars Now Phase 3 plan.

Help make a manned Mars mission a reality by sharing and +1ing the Google Science Fair Mars Now project, the link is on the About Mars Now page.

Thank you.

Project submitted!

Source: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MarsCuriosityRover-TwilightAtYellowknifeBay-Sols170-176.jpg

The Mars Now project has been submitted to the 2013 Google Science Fair!

Now we just have to wait and see if the project makes it to the Regional Finalists, chosen on June 11th 2013.

Wish me and my project luck!