Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
AS NASA PREPARED TO land another exploratory rover on Mars in little over a week, TheJournal.ie has been looking into humankind’s preparations for landing an astronaut on Mars.
Decades after the launch of space programmes around the world, just how close are we getting to living on the Red Planet – or anywhere in space, for that matter?
Getting there
In 2009, NASA released a comprehensive report following its review of human spaceflight plans. While the Augustine Report affirmed the ultimate goal of human exploration being to “chart a path for human expansion into the solar system”, the report suggested nearer destinations which should be considered as human spaceflight objectives in the short- to medium-term, including the Moon, Mars and near asteroids.
Currently, NASA is looking into ways to land a person on the surface of the Moon by the 2030s.
Last summer saw the end of the US space shuttle programme and retirement of NASA’s ageing fleet – but no immediate replacement service is in place. Since the shuttle retirement, international astronauts are ‘hitching’ lifts to the International Space Station on board Russian Soyuz rockets.
Dr John Charles from NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston told TheJournal.ie that the difficulty now is trying to develop the right kind of spacecraft (and a suitable launching mechanism) which will accommodate astronauts for space flights of up to two-and-a-half years.
Too big and it’s unwieldy and fuel-heavy for travelling such distances, but too small and the space restrictions could take a toll on the astronauts’ health.
“We expect a Mars vehicle to be about as massive as the International Space Station – about a million pounds,” he said. “The ISS is huge; if six astronauts are on board and you loose sight of someone, it’s easy to lose them. And that’s actually happened. The guy wasn’t ‘lost’ but the others couldn’t see where he was because he was working on a project in a different part of the station.”
“A Mars vehicle will be necessarily more constrained in volume.”
The Apollo capsules which travelled to and around the Moon in the late 60s and 70s were very small – just enough room for three people. But this was adequate for the short mission span and crew size.
But exercise is essential in keeping a crew fit and healthy through the physically-demanding space flight. Muscle mass, bone density and the cardiovascular system are all affected.
The HRP has identified the minimum exercise required to help astronauts maintain bone density, and researchers are looking into exercise to bolster muscle strength and cardiovascular systems in space.
Devices such as a treadmill and bicycle simulator are being tested as part of the research – but any equipment taken on board will have to fit snugly. Not just that – they will have to be designed for use in the more constricted space of the craft.
The (very snug) Apollo 11 command module and its three crew members, from left, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin carrying out an inspection ahead of their 1969 lunar mission. (NASA)
Living in space
Patterns of night and day are important for regulating human sleep cycles.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts is conducting research into natural lighting and has a special laboratory which can replicate different patterns of night and day and study the effects on humans.
The Martian day is about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day – something NASA’s Dr Charles says could help astronauts in their adjustment because it’s easier to adapt when you’re able to sleep more, rather than less.
He also says that some people seem to have a better capacity to adjust to different time zones or daylight patterns than others and although Circadian rhythms haven’t been one of the criteria for selecting astronauts before, “it might be fortuitous” if the people selected for Mars would have longer rhythms.
Food – fresh and tasty
“It’s very attractive to live off the land - to cut down trees, plant crops, scoop fish from the water, kill animals for food and clothing,” Charles said.”That’s not likely on Mars though.”
One option being pursued by researchers is the development of a kind of ‘mini-factory’ for propagating crops on the Martian surface.
The main component of the atmosphere there is carbon dioxide and scientists have discovered large quantities of subsurface ice; it could be possible for astronauts to use these elements to generate oxygen and water which could then be used to develop crops or to fuel a Mars launch vehicle.
“You might be able to establish a sort of Mars surface greenhouse to develop food crops and get mother nature to manipulate the Mars surface materials which are useful to the astronauts – but that’s a bit further down the stream,” Charles said.
Mars: 817 images taken by a camera on NASA’s exploration rover Opportunity combined to form a full-circle panorama. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/Arizona State University)
In the meantime, the food supply for space missions has to be brought on board from Earth – but more work is needed on improving the nutritional content – and taste – of the pre-packaged food.
“The supply of food for the earliest missions in-flight is to use military food, the meals that are ready-to-eat,” Charles explains. “Those haven’t been found to be useful for long durations, such as two-and-a-half year missions because they’re are not fully provided with all of the nutrients you would need.”
“So the goal we’re pursuing now is to develop the right kind of food, and particularly the right kind of packaging for preserving the food and the nutrients. But the food has to be attractive and appealing or astronauts will lose interest in it – as shown on previous flights.”
This evening, Lowry told TheJournal.ie that Labour leaking the note had brought politics to “a new low”.
In fairness Lowry would be a good judge on what can bring politics to a “new low”
He seriously needs to stop blaming others for his own mess ups. If he hadn’t written that on the note there wouldn’t have been anything to give to the journalists now would there?
Agreed Lowry is an expert bringing politics to a new low, we must believe him….
POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK , POOR TIP FCUKER>
Mike doesn’t like leaks about his politicking – I wonder why ?
Anything out of Tipperary brings politics to a new low..
This note is in his own handwriting so it is the truth of the man and he calls it a new low -
and he having been in Court for much more serious offences …..
This guy has no conscience it would seem and that to put it in biblical terms, if true, is Evil personified !
Lowry playing the victim again. Pathetic.
The Tip. Electorate keep on voting for this dinosaur. It beggars believe.
I walked into a friends house today and there in his post was a leaflet from the local FG …T.D.
Didn’t read it buy the headline was “Update on budget 2015 “…..
The timing of the election is pencilled in when you see that !
Would you prefer to vote for Kelly the labour hasbeen
Come on Tipp you have to have better than both !
Pork barrel politics.
Time the big cities took on these mountainy men, and refused to be saddled with high property taxes and high inheritance taxes, when farmers can pass on their assets to their children free of inheritance tax.
Time you went to bed Sean. You’re getting far too excited for this time of night.
OMG what a laugh. Lowry accuses someone of bring politics to a new low:
Wikipedia :
“Lowry is a former Chairman of the Fine Gael political party and was Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications between 1994 and 1996. He resigned his ministry in some controversy, and Fine Gael barred him from standing for their party again. Thereafter, he ran as an independent candidate and has maintained his seat in the Dáil ever since. The Moriarty Tribunal concluded “beyond doubt” that Lowry was a tax evader and had assisted businessman Denis O’Brien’s consortium Esat Digiphone in acquiring a lucrative mobile phone licence in the mid-1990s, during Lowry’s time as Communications Minister. O’Brien went on to become one of the richest men in Ireland.[2]
Lowry also initiated a defamation lawsuit against Irish Independent journalist Sam Smyth, over an article Smyth had written regarding the Moriarty Tribunal as well as comments Smyth had made on a TV3 show. The defamation lawsuit was thrown out of several courts and Lowry was ordered to pay Smyth’s legal costs. In more recent times his relationship with Kevin Phelan has come under scrutiny, with the emergence of a recorded conversation in which Lowry claims to have made an undeclared payment of €250,000.”
When you’re a cowboy in the morning,
You’ll be a cowboy in the evening..
And you sir are some Fooking cowboy…
The people of Tipperary should be ashamed of themselves for constantly electing this man.
But he gets the roads fixed and appears at the opening of post offices. It is the same with the Healy Rae’s. As long as it’s ‘one of their own’ people turn a blind eye. Brian Cowen is still a hero in Offaly and Bertie in north Dublin and look how much they screwed us over
He did promise them a Casino in fairness.
Not all of Offaly beano is cowen a hero. Only down where his from or his fellow ff crowd.
I love in North dublin beano and Bertie is not considered a hero here. Not by a long shot. He’s a completely busted flush. Back into the cupboard with him!
He is a sexist ignorant pig
You’re not bad looking Gillian!! Oops sorry!
I agree Hal . Much ado about nothing . Headline seeking article.
Why? Have you never said a person was not bad looking ?
What if it a code for something else ?
Soon we even hear anything negative about these TDs unless the gov says so…. The propaganda media machine in Ireland just got turned up a few more notches… http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/broadcasters-must-not-undermine-authority-of-state-under-new-guidelines-30941115.html
iPhone Joan is at it again – The Mrs. Thatcher of Irish Politics, is out to do in that lovely chauvinist guy , Michael Lowry !
My golly , it gets funnier by the minute , with this useless lot of a Coalition .
Undermine the authority of the State ….
and what about the Bailout without referendum …?
Well the night of the Long Knives failed – (seanad abolition) so the burning of the books is going to blow up in their faces as well !
This is just so embarrassing. What a joke.
Lowry on the aboltion of slavery: ‘its poltical correctness gone mad’
Sounds like he had a Mr Burgess, good girl Sharon moment.
Why is this man allowed to sit in the Dail. Politicians are in enough disrepute already without this character? In the UK he would have been suspended
It’s a long way from House of Cards. What a shower of useless gimps in that place. Even the opposition. Where in the name of sweet jebus are the focused, talented and sharp people of this country?
People from outside of politics need to start seriously thinking about becoming involved in it, bringing new approaches and their own expertise. People with ability and ideas would eviscerate those clowns in debates – and be guaranteed seats.
Our politicians are like school in summer. No class.
Least me now know how the Country is fecked.. To get a top job in the civil service all is needed is somebody to pass on a note saying how good looking you are… The debs committee in your local school is run better than our Government
Stupid as a fox. He has the bumpkin idiot brigade in Tipperary convinced he’s the messiah.
You all have lovely bottoms
I guarantee the women in question is secretly delighted while being outwardly outraged
The wording of the note is not the issue. It is the fact that it’s the same old canvassing and cronyism still carrying on. Neither Lowry or Kelly do themselves, or politics in this country any credit. Then again you would be a fool to expect anything else from these self serving parasites.
Do ye remember the R.T.E. programme investigating an overspend on a public building in Tipp …
the place had a fortune spent on it and it was still in very poor condition…
“If we had another millin we’d finish it !” was the quote from the local Geronimo who had been involved in the project …
What do you do with that – no concept of any possible wrongdoing ……
A FAS job to boot !
Says it all really about our politics. Lap gate / note gate …
Who was the other Fine Gael former Minister who got unwanted press over a press secretary or some such ?
Ah yes, it was Philip Hogan !
Love it when a politician says ‘How dare you report my corruption to the media!’
“stupid and silly” could have been on the smug election posters…..for both of them.
The man is a leach on Irish society. He might do the people of North Tipp the odd favour, but he is a Me Feiner. He treats the people of Ireland with contempt, and should be treated similarly by the people of Ireland
His pal Dennis O’B, is one very fat leach too..
Make a start.
Boycott Topaz..
His right Kelly the labour party didn’t write the note but they did give a note addressed to the taoiseach to a journalist.
Not bad looking up his own arsêhole.
The calibre of politician we elect in this country truly boggles the mind. Michael Lowry, corrupt as they come, is lecturing other people in relation to low standards and “malicious intent”. Breathtaking…
No doubt Lowry is totally antediluvian in his attitude to women but the actual note wasn’t really as bad as the hype made it out to be!
Yes it is, it’s cronyism pure and simple.
He’d probably get up on a cracked plate.
A big fuss over nothing. She’s very attractive.
What would Lowey know about decency he is a sleeveen and should not be in Government, he betrayed the Irish people when he stood with DOBBY.
I’m trying to figure out which of the two issues people are more incensed with. The fact that he canvassed or called a woman “not bad looking”.
Personally, the ‘not bad looking’ remark is annoying, but does not surprise me. It does, however, show a remarkable lack of judgement on Lowry’s part. He’s made himself look like a right gobsh!te. The canvassing does bother me, however. Is this really the way business is conducted in the Dáil?
Agreed, the comment and the manner in which he related it is idiotic. But it should be separated from the fact that cronyism is alive and well despite repeated promises to the contrary. That’s what we should be focussing on. The most decent men and women in this world will always make mild innuendo. it doesn’t mean we disrespect each other.
Why are people focusing on this note? The guy is only one step removed from a gangster. He’s seems to have done some very dodgy deals over the years but Id hope, when I’m 61 that Id get away with saying someone is ” not bad looking ” without national uproar. To me the passing of the note to a journalist is a bigger crime, one akin to telling tales in the schoolyard.
Day 2 and it’s still news ?? It was a note passed between two people , it’s a fuss about nothing . all he said was that the woman was not bad looking .. It’s not a crime !
Canvassing for State appointments is actually against the Law !
@joanie He us corrupt and a s&@€b&g . Not fit to be in givernment. Who cares that he said a woman wasn’t bad, anyone else with his reputation would keep their head down and shut up not him though
Transparency is the new low? Much better back in the day when the ‘ol boys could say what they want about the ladies without fear of derision from a politically correct meeja gone mad with liberalism
It was a private note between two people so who cares. If he said she has big b@@bs or fine a$$ it would be different. It was a compliment and thats it.
It was canvassing for a State appointment
the description of what she looked like is not the real story here !
Let’s say Enda had appointed her to the board and the note came out afterwards – then we wouldn’t be discussing the “bad looking ” comment but a different “bad looking ” altogether !
She’s a fox. Id lend her one. If I wasn’t married I mean. Ahem.
With all the who ha over this note will have to educate myself about this lady. Her qualifications her experience and of course how good looking she is. After I have conducted my in depth research I will decide if I am to be outraged or not. If she ticks all 3 boxes give her the job!!! Seriously though he has done a million times worse things and brazened them out. Can’t see him losing too much sleep. It’s like being back in school passing notes around. That’s the most worrying thing. A storm in a tea cup in the grand scheme of things and he knows it
The biggest eejits are the voters that keep re electing cowboys like Lowry
Him being a chauvinist of course is perfectly acceptable-seriously with idiots like this being elected is it any wonder the country is in the state it is!
In fairness….
She does have a lovely arse!
For feck sake she is a good looking woman ! Get over it !
The sad thing is the people that believe him,’god love them,
Michael Lowry. Politics begins low, it’s up to the man or woman who prefers to follow this profession to raise their ambitions and to convince their voters that they are a little higher than low, it’s not easy. Most politicians fail to do this but after a while can pull it off. You can’t.
“Malicious intent” versus corruption…Ireland a great little country to do corruption in.
The women in North Tipp luvs him…
Yes Michael, of course they did it to tarnish your unblemished pristine reputation.
The corrupt fighting with the corrupt, a pox on both their houses.
It seems to me that Mr Lowery knew exactly what he was doing. He knew what would go down well with Mr Kenny, he phrased his note in that way because he knew it would be appealing. Why would he think it was ok to word a request like that at a Dail session? There is an undercurrent of sleaze in this whole affair that is not right, regardless of politics. Would anyone like their daughter, sister or mother to be sold in such a way? It this what the leaders and peers of our country really of our women, sure if nothing else she’ll be good to look at! Get real people!
I would…….
More incensed that he can pass notes like a schoolboy to Einda and get away with his sexist remarks!! Why would Einda entertain any of his ideas? Aw because he is a friend of Denis the Menace and Einda needs to help both of his goody buddies out. Grrrrrrrrr
Journalists, it doesn’t matter what you throw at Lowry; sexism, grand fraud, war crimes, regicide, it just doesn’t matter. The people of N Tipp will always vote for him because he fixed the road.
Labour leaked the note with malicious intent you have got to be, jokeing labour wouldent even tell a lie, and as reguards to your one been good looking they are all the same in the dark
…..23 years .
A new low from Lowry is this guy trying to be funny ??
The people of Tip should be proud having consistently stood by Lowry by supporting him at election time. Ya Lowry its the other guys fault, poor you !
The people of Tip must be very proud of Lowry as they consistently re elect him and speak out in support of him….. With Lowry he’s always the victim. They knew i what i am like and were waiting for me to slip up so they could get me. – GO LOWRY PLEASE.
Is this what the leaders and peers of our country think of our women?
Lets have a tribunal
Surely cctv would reveal who the rat is..
Who is judge Seamus Noonan .?
have your say