Posted on 10/01/2014 2:01:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Ask any space enthusiast, and almost anyone will say humankind’s ultimate destination is Mars. But NASA is currently gearing up to go to an asteroid. While the space agency says its Asteroid Initiative will help in the eventual goal of putting people on Mars, what if instead of going to an asteroid, we went to Mars’ moon Phobos?
Three prominent planetary scientists have joined forces in a new paper in the Journal Planetary and Space Science to explain the case for a mission to the moons of Mars, particularly Phobos.
“Phobos occupies a unique position physically, scientifically, and programmatically on the road to exploration of the solar system,” say the scientists. In addition, the moons may possibly be a source of in situ resources that could support future human exploration in circum-Mars space or on the Martian surface. But a sample return mission first could provide details on the moons’ origins and makeup.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
From where did Phobos arise or arrive? The Inner or Outer Solar System? Is it dry or wet? Should we flyby or sample & return? Or should it be Boots or Bots? In the illustration, space probes (L-R) Phobos-Grunt 2, JPL/SAR, ARC PADME. Also, Stardust’s return capsule, Phobos above Mars, the Solar Nebula and the MRO HiRISE photo of Phobos. (Photos: NASA, Illustration:T.Reyes)
Spent a few years on Phobos. Nice place. Had a bit of a demonic problem though.
Glad you didn’t meet your Doom.
I'm in!
Would people who don’t support a mission to Phobos be considered Phobophobes?
Make sure anything (anyone) we send isn’t Phobosphobic ....
I was hoping someone would point that out.
I’d rather visit Deimos.
You won’t even need a rocket.
Nothing the BFG-9000 couldn’t handle though...
I don't know, but the people who are seriously thinking about this are Ph00bs.
-PJ
And those who do would be Phobophiles!
And when the two moons are colonized, one will be filled with Demo-crats and the other with Rephobians.
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