h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: mars direct - A749928
Author: xyroth (rash enough to tackle intelligence) - U149792

I needed to write this for a conversation thread, so I stuck it in an entry.

can anyone think of anything else that needs adding?

If this was going into Peer Review, I'd say it is far from complete. You would have to add a long section "Why send a man to mars?". I'm a firm believer that we should not be sending people into space. We should concentrate on robot explorers for the next 100 years or so. So you'd have to convince me.

But as an unedited entry, it is interesting. It needs more on "Atmospheric Fuel Generators". What sort of fuel are you taking about? Do space rockets still run on Hydrogen and Oxygen? Are both these elements in good supply in the Martian atmosphere? Where does the fuel generator get its power? What does it store the fuel in? At pressure? If at pressure, will the meagre power from a solar cell be enough to drive a high-pressure pump? If at atmospheric pressure in a giant inflatable bag, how do you protect it from meteor strikes? Are such strikes common on Mars?


On the trip to Mars, how much of the waste needs to be recycled? Gentlemen, have we the technology?

There's plenty of room for discussion here.

Hi xyroth, nice entry. This is definitely a topic that should be covered in the Guide. I suppose, in submitting it to Writing Workshop, you're looking for feedback, so here goes:


The title should be clearer. What does 'mars direct' mean? After reading the entry I can tell (sort of), but how about 'How to Establish a Mars Base with Current Technology'. That wouldn't have the reader guessing. If 'Mars Direct' is the proper name of the initiative, then call the entry 'Mars Direct - A Plan for Establishing a Mars Base' or something, and give us more background on it. Who came up w/ Mars Direct? When? Robert Zubrin in his book? Say so.

I agree with Gnomon that there should be a section on 'Why Go to Mars?'. I don't agree that you have to convince the reader (the reader in general, or Gnomon in particular ). Just outline a couple of reasons that people have for wanting to go. It'll provide some context, and ease the reader into the entry, before laying technical stuff on 'em.

Stylistic point: "mars direct sends..." and then "you can send...". Third person or second? You decide.

No one can make you capitalize proper nouns, eg, names of books, but I wouldn't be a good sub if I didn't mention it.

More information please, on:

Atmospheric fuel generator.

Skylab. Footnote it or link it; somehow, tell us what it is (maybe even how big it is!)

"You can rotate this on the end of a gantry" - on the end of a what?

"Once you have found an appropriate site for a permenant base, you can easily leverage this technology to rapidly give you a working mars colony..." I just don't understand that. Can you break it down a little bit?


I hope some of that is useful!

it sure is.

gnomon's comments by themselves were not quite good enough to give sufficient direction for expansion of this entry, but when taken in combination with your own comments, it presents a number of different possibilities.

I suppose I will now have to go away and decide what to do, and then do some work on this.

it might take a few days though, as I'm having a bit of a hectic month.

not much of an update yet, only added a few links to further information.

I will get the rest of the update done soon though.