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Mars Entry, Descent & Landing Systems
Any Mars settlement effort will require the delivery of a large mass of tools, equipment and other materials to the Martian surface. This will require the development of new, innovative entry, descent and landing systems. The landing of larger payloads (10 metric tons or more) presents an especially difficult challenge. This is a key area requiring further research.
Technical Papers
Links
Radiation Shielding
Radiation in space poses a threat to humans embarked on missions to the Moon or Mars. Researchers are examining the problem from a number of different directions, including assessing allowable doses, determining the levels of radiation doses in space, and predicting and measuring the effects of various forms of shielding.
Technical Papers
Links
Mechanical CounterPressure / BioSuit Concept
Researchers at the MIT Manned Vehicle Lab (MVL), RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia and elsewhere are working on new, innovative suit technologies, including mechanical counterpressure or MCP systems. These technologies, provide increased mobility and dexterity, which will be needed for the early Mars explorers and settlers to be most effective. See the papers and links below for more information about this technology.
Technical Papers
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Astronaut Bio-Suit for Exploration Class Missions: NIAC Phase 1 Report. 2001. by Pitts, B., Brensinger, C., Saleh, J., Carr, C., Schmidt, P., Newman, D.
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Links
Surface Inflatable Technology
Building on the TransHab concepts developed by NASA, innovative surface inflatables are proposed. These habitats, which are brought from Earth and launched on conventional rockets, expand to provide a much greater internal living volume after they are placed in position on either the moon or Mars.
Technical Papers
Links
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