In the last few year , there have been discussions of building a lunar base to employ as a refuelling station for theMars mission , and now a new study from theMassachusetts Institute of Technologyhas worked out the best way to reach that . The enquiry , which is based on the doctorial work of Takuto Ishimatsu , will be published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets .
The cost of missions depends strongly on the weight of the warhead to be put in arena . The increase in the use of flyspeck CubeSats and the compact IndianMars Orbiter Missionhighlight a trend in space exploration that focuses on miniaturization , with the aim of bring through money .
Historically , only two incumbrance - carrying strategies have been acquire in crewed quad geographic expedition . You either bring everything with you ( like in the Apollo commission ) or you call for to take into account steady re - supply missions ( used for the space stations ) . A proposed third way is to extend the essential and use the cloth find oneself in - situ to construct and produce other necessity .
The team behind the research consider that the third option is the most viable . Long distance missions beyond the Earth ’s domain could not be easily re - supplied , and bear everything is a very expensive approach for quad means combat with shrinking budget . NASAstates that it cost $ 10,000 ( £ 6,500 ) to put 450 Hans C. J. Gram ( 1 pound ) of lading into space .
Water ice found on the Moon and Mars could be used to produce rocket fuel , as well as providing water and oxygen for the astronauts . The field suggests that this could concentrate the launch flock of a potential Mars commission by 68 % .
The mathematical group aim a scenario in which we have infrastructure on the Moon focused on the minelaying of lunar ice to produce fuel . The gang will launch from Earth with enough fuel to touch the cranial orbit of the Moon , then , while on the surface of our natural satellite , produce fuel , put it into tankers and launch it into quad , where it would get in gravitative orbit . The crew would finally clean it up on its path to Mars .
concord to the squad , this " nether region - stop " synodic month proposal is the most cost - good scenario , even including the necessary launches to bring infrastructure and peradventure crew to the lunar surface , who would be responsible for generating the fuel and send it up .
