NASA is grappling with this one.  How to plan a “Mission to Mars” when the space agency would have to pack food for each astronaut to last:  FIVE YEARS.   For an average man that would be 7,000 pounds of food.  (For some of our sons, that would only be a start!)  Currently, Astronauts are given about 3.8 pounds of food per day while in space.  Sounds like a lot, but it is just enough to sustain them.  NASA officials say it would be impossible to store provisions of that size in a manned rocket.

NASA has a plan for that too.

The food would be shipped via a SECOND space ship, sent on ahead to arrive before the FIRST spaceship.   Sort of “slingshot”  the food at a faster pace!  Robots….yes robots would also be on board the supply ship, and would be software-enabled to actively GROW FOOD upon arrival!

(We know..you’re already wondering WHY the U.S. Government would dare spend our money on such a mission right now….no answers forthcoming.)

The whole plan is a bit overwhelming to contemplate.  Never mind that our astronauts would be AGING during the trip, it also might be a bit troubling to eat….near five-year old food.

Sounds like they need a woman in the mix, with expertise in food….storage.

No price tags for this mission have been shared, but the food provisions are certainly one of the smaller…challenges on a mission to MARS.

 

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Filed under: Economy, Featured, Inside The KC, Science and Technology, Sonja Eddings Brown by Sonja Eddings Brown, Sep 2, 2011