NatGeo Channel's "Mars"

[Just_Victor]

I'm just wondering if anyone else is watching it.  The ads were intriguing.  The show seems more like an infomercial for SpaceX with a little fictional drama thrown in.

[Cripplecreek]

I missed it.

As much as I despise reality TV I actually think the idea of making a private mars mission into a reality show is a good one. (Minus the scripted conflicts and stupid crap). Granted there would be untold hours of boring but never underestimate the ability of us space geeks to find fascination in boring.

They could live stream it, run a few ads, ask for donations etc.

[Just_Victor]

I missed it.

As much as I despise reality TV I actually think the idea of making a private mars mission into a reality show is a good one. (Minus the scripted conflicts and stupid crap). Granted there would be untold hours of boring but never underestimate the ability of us space geeks to find fascination in boring.

They could live stream it, run a few ads, ask for donations etc.

It's not really a reality show.  It's a fictional story about a manned mission to Mars, with all the usual stuff going wrong.  In that regard it's just a rehash of the moves "Mission to Mars," "Red Planet", etc.  Interspersed with the story they have interviews with mostly SpaceX employees discussing the state of technology, science, anticipated problems, etc. that then show up in the story.  The SpaceX logo is all over the program.  If SpaceX isn't directly sponsoring the show (I haven't heard one way or the other), they shelled out a ton of money for the product placement rights.

[kevindavis007]

I saw it and I liked it (what a surprise right?), however, it is an SpaceX infomercial. However, I don't mind..

[Gefn]

I saw it and I liked it (what a surprise right?), however, it is an SpaceX infomercial. However, I don't mind..

I liked what I saw. I'm with you @kevindavis I didn't mind the Space X infomercial part too much.

[kevindavis007]

I liked what I saw. I'm with you @kevindavis I didn't mind the Space X infomercial part too much.

@Freya,


I also liked the fact that they show that something is going to happen. It won't be perfect like it is in Star Trek..

[kevindavis007]

I enjoyed the second episode.. I like the realism that this show is showing. People will die in space..

[Cripplecreek]

I enjoyed the second episode.. I like the realism that this show is showing. People will die in space..

I saw a series some years back that was similar about deep space travel. On a close pass by Jupiter for some reason one of the astronauts couldn't be in the heavily shielded area of the ship and was exposed to lethal levels of radiation and died within a few weeks or months.

The reality is that we've been amazingly lucky that we haven't lost any astronauts in space.

[kevindavis007]

I saw a series some years back that was similar about deep space travel. On a close pass by Jupiter for some reason one of the astronauts couldn't be in the heavily shielded area of the ship and was exposed to lethal levels of radiation and died within a few weeks or months.

The reality is that we've been amazingly lucky that we haven't lost any astronauts in space.

Had we continued the moon missions I think someone would have died.


As much I like Star Trek, the problem I have with it, is that it made Space Travel too easy. I guess that is why I like The Expanse.

[Cripplecreek]

Had we continued the moon missions I think someone would have died.


As much I like Star Trek, the problem I have with it, is that it made Space Travel too easy. I guess that is why I like The Expanse.

Yeah people need to recognize the danger and accept it so space exploration doesn't come to a halt every time there's an accident.

In NASCAR when Dale Earnhardt got killed there was a major investigation but they still raced the next week as normal and another driver took Earnhardt's spot.

[kevindavis007]

Yeah people need to recognize the danger and accept it so space exploration doesn't come to a halt every time there's an accident.

I remember the arguments I had with some people over at the TOS stating that we should stop the human exploration cause it is dangerous and too risky.


I think in what we learn from our mistakes and accidents will help us learn.  I accept we will not be like Star Trek, but who knows what will the future be like. We can't stop cause of every bump in the road.

[Gefn]

Don't wear a red shirt if you are on Star Trek. Bad things might happen. :(

It was also a good book by John Scalzi. I enjoyed it.

I missed the second episode of Mars, planing on watching tonight.

[Cripplecreek]

I remember the arguments I had with some people over at the TOS stating that we should stop the human exploration cause it is dangerous and too risky.


I think in what we learn from our mistakes and accidents will help us learn.  I accept we will not be like Star Trek, but who knows what will the future be like. We can't stop cause of every bump in the road.

I think propulsion is the key. Things like Ion drives and VASMIR engines are great but we need for them to produce real kick in the ass thrust rather than a few ounces of thrust over weeks or months.

[Joe Wooten]

I think propulsion is the key. Things like Ion drives and VASMIR engines are great but we need for them to produce real kick in the ass thrust rather than a few ounces of thrust over weeks or months.

NERVA. I think it is still sitting outdoors at Jackass Flats.

[kevindavis007]

I think propulsion is the key. Things like Ion drives and VASMIR engines are great but we need for them to produce real kick in the ass thrust rather than a few ounces of thrust over weeks or months.

That is correct. I think we all need to keep paying attention to the EM Drive. I might just pan out.

[kevindavis007]

This will be the NatGeo Mars thread..



Space Ping!


@Oceander
@Sanguine
@Cripplecreek
@Freya
@EC
@Joe Wooten
@r9etb
@Just_Victor
@montanajoe
@Ghost Bear
@Free Vulcan
@Idaho_Cowboy
@geronl
@Scutter

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Watched the first episode twice now.   Going to have to go for three before(/if) I watch the second episode.  The infomercial stuff just completely disrupts the flow for me.

[kevindavis007]

Mars is very good and not a SpaceX infomercial..



Space Ping!


@Oceander
@Sanguine
@Cripplecreek
@Freya
@EC
@Joe Wooten
@r9etb
@Just_Victor
@montanajoe
@Ghost Bear
@Free Vulcan
@Idaho_Cowboy
@geronl
@Scutter

[Cripplecreek]

I watched 2 full episodes last night and didn't get the infomercial feel.

Seems that most of our problems with spaceflight and colonizing beyond the earth are a direct result of our inability to produce vast amounts of energy. Producing a magnetic field is easy. Producing a planet wide magnetic field to help hold an atmosphere is hard only because we can't currently produce the kind of energy we would need.

The same can be said for our current inability to travel at a significant percentage of the speed of light.

We need more power.

[Gefn]

I've been taping it, just haven't had time to watch yet. Waiting for a snow day. It should be very soon. They are expecting snow this weekend. :)

A friend of mine said "I wish Ray Bradbury could have seen this, I think he would have liked it"

Ray Bradbury made me love SF. I am really looking forward to watching this show.

[kevindavis007]

I watched 2 full episodes last night and didn't get the infomercial feel.

Seems that most of our problems with spaceflight and colonizing beyond the earth are a direct result of our inability to produce vast amounts of energy. Producing a magnetic field is easy. Producing a planet wide magnetic field to help hold an atmosphere is hard only because we can't currently produce the kind of energy we would need.

The same can be said for our current inability to travel at a significant percentage of the speed of light.

We need more power.

I agree about the power.. One thing I do like about the show is it's realism..  It is going to be tough to colonize a whole new world. It will make the colonization of North America look like a picnic.

[Cripplecreek]

I agree about the power.. One thing I do like about the show is it's realism..  It is going to be tough to colonize a whole new world. It will make the colonization of North America look like a picnic.

Mars will be tough to colonize based on the distance alone. Its going to take many decades of constant reliable resupply from earth. You can't really consider anyplace colonized till the people there can survive and feed themselves without assistance from earth. Mars also won't be colonized by 5, 10, or even 50 people. Its going to take hundreds or even thousands to create a mars based society with genetic diversity and diversity of skills.

None of it means it shouldn't happen.

Personally I wish we had spent the last 50 years colonizing the moon. In some ways its a much tougher nut to crack but necessity is the mother of invention and we would have a much bigger head start. Its a hard vacuum, even more exposed to the radioactive environment in space, a month long day/night cycle. However the proximity makes things like resupply much easier. I believe that if we had colonized the moon 30 years ago we would have already seen at least 1 manned mission to mars by now.

[kevindavis007]

Mars will be tough to colonize based on the distance alone. Its going to take many decades of constant reliable resupply from earth. You can't really consider anyplace colonized till the people there can survive and feed themselves without assistance from earth. Mars also won't be colonized by 5, 10, or even 50 people. Its going to take hundreds or even thousands to create a mars based society with genetic diversity and diversity of skills.

None of it means it shouldn't happen.

Personally I wish we had spent the last 50 years colonizing the moon. In some ways its a much tougher nut to crack but necessity is the mother of invention and we would have a much bigger head start. Its a hard vacuum, even more exposed to the radioactive environment in space, a month long day/night cycle. However the proximity makes things like resupply much easier. I believe that if we had colonized the moon 30 years ago we would have already seen at least 1 manned mission to mars by now.

The bad part of the Space Race was that JFK set one goal. Just land on the moon. Had he set a long term goal then I think things would have been different.

[Ghost Bear]

The bad part of the Space Race was that JFK set one goal. Just land on the moon. Had he set a long term goal then I think things would have been different.

At the time he said it, landing on the Moon was a long term goal.  The bad part of the space race IMHO was Nixon and Congress cancelling the follow-on stuff.

[kevindavis007]

At the time he said it, landing on the Moon was a long term goal.  The bad part of the space race IMHO was Nixon and Congress cancelling the follow-on stuff.

I stand corrected..


The Presidents that was bad for NASA:
1. Nixon
2. Carter
3. Clinton


Good for NASA:
1. Reagan
2. Bush I
3. Bush II


So So for NASA:
1. Obama


I'm not counting Ford since he was a President for a shot time.