During the Human to Mars summit in Washington, Buzz Aldrin, NASA astronaut, who set foot on the surface of the Moon, urged to stop spending billions of dollars on the ISS as soon as possible and focus on the colonization of Mars.
Aldrin, who recently spoke with Vice President Mike Pence at the White House, outlined his vision of the so-called cyclic spacecraft that, by 2039 or even earlier, can transport colonists every two years to Mars. The flight trajectory is designed in such a way as to ensure the promotion of gravity, and the refueling will be carried out in the Earth's orbit, so such a cyclical flight to Mars will be cheaper than the launch of conventional missiles, and will last only 3 months.
The first cyclic ship can be prepared and tested within the next four years, during the term of the presidency of Donald Trump. "I think we should send the very first version to an asteroid," Aldrin told the summit participants.
In addition, the cyclical apparatus will help create a permanent colony on Mars, says Aldrin: "I am sure that our country for two decades will lead the international team for the colonization of Mars. It will not just come and go back, but it will create a settlement on the planet, in order not to return to an empty place ".
To the international team, Aldrin counts the EU countries, Russia, India, Japan and China, as well as the UAE, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. The US, in his opinion, is able to single-handedly colonize Mars, but justice requires that other countries also contribute.
"Get your ass to Mars", - quoted Aldrin a fantastic film "Remember All".
Also, Aldrin urged to stop throwing money at the International Space Station. "We must send the ISS to rest as soon as possible," he said.. "We simply can not afford to spend $ 3.5 billion a year on it".
In addition, NASA should transfer all activities in the near-Earth orbit to private space companies - SpaceX, Orbital ATK and Boeing - let them carry cargo and people to the ISS and back, quotes Aldrin Space. Com.
In fulfilling President Trump's mandate, NASA developed a plan to begin the colonization of Mars no later than 2033. It consists of five stages, the first of which is the holding of six launches of the new Orion spacecraft and the SLS launch vehicle from 2018 to 2025.
Source: High Tech.