If they can send a probe to Mars, why can't then send a person?

Question

If they can send a probe to Mars, why can't then send a person?

Answer 1

A person's body is negatively effected by low gravity environments. A lot of your normal body functions are assisted by gravity. Sending someone to Mars would mean that they would be in a low gravity environment for about two to three years which would have significant impact on their health and well-being. Simply put, it is not safe with current technology.

Answer 2

They could send a person, but without adequate water supplies and food, eventually this person would starve to death. Since there's no potable water on Mars, or any significant water on Mars as far as we can tell, you'd have to bring water with you. You'd also have to be able to consistently send food supplies before they ran out.

Most importantly, though, they need a way to come back. Launching a rocket is extremely difficult - it's relatively easy to escape the Moon's weak gravity, but Mars is more than twice as strong, and making the difficult shot back to Earth would be impossible for a small Mars crew. You would almost certainly be stranded there, which I doubt anyone is willing to do, and even if they were probably no space program would conscience it.

As to low gravity, I'm not sure of the impact - Mars gravity is 0.37x Earth's, which is low, but not necessarily so low that it would result in muscle atrophy. It's certainly not a zero-g environment as some people have incorrectly suggested.

Answer 3

People need food, water, air, heat, a way of dealing with waste, and shielding from radiation. Probes do not.

People also need gravity, since our bones turn to dust and our muscles waste away in zero G. No point in sending someone to Mars if he cannot walk once he gets there.

A spacecraft going to Mars also needs to be able to return to Earth if it is carrying people. A probe can be sent on a one way trip.

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BTW, I wasn't suggesting that Mars itself was a zero-g environment (as the guy near the bottom said). It is the estimated 1-2 year trip in-between Earth & Mars that will be zero-g. During that time, your muscles will waste away so much that you might not be able to stand on Mars once you got there.

Answer 4

NASA and technology has a sturdy manage on whats occurring with the moon. Mars it lots farther away and little is primary previous what the rovers have got here across. there is no longer lots on mars that we actual need different than the understanding that some form of life exists or existed there. we would be extra able to modifying the earth's atmosphere than going to mars and making it inhabitable for us. there heavily isn't a colony on mars.

Answer 5

Because of the distance involved. It isn't like they can pack a sack lunch and a scuba tank and send someone off the see Mars.

Answer 6

The probes are sent to anylize the environment so that some day humans can make the trip and survive when they get there.

Answer 7

they can. Only small problem, a person needs to live, and that means a lot of food and water and oxygen! And, a person might need company, too. When you add this all up, you end up with a take-off weight that is much, much larger than that of a probe.

Which means a much, much larger rocket to launch the thing, and a much, much higher cost.

Answer 8

THEY CAN!!!!!! They have the technology...

“Steve Austin, astronaut, a man barely alive.
Gentlemen, we can rebuild him, we have the technology.
We have the capability to make the worlds first Bionic Man.
Steve Austin will be that man.
Better than he was before.
Better... Stronger... Faster!”

LOOK OUT MARS!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

They can and NASA plans to do so. The reason we haven't done so, so far is lack of money.

Answer 10

Spirit and Opportunity don't need to eat.