/sci/ - Science & Math

In the absence of such a program, or more optimistically in anticipation of it, there are exercises that could be incorporated into any crew’s MDRS agenda and affordable additions to current equipment that would more closely reflect equipment available to astronauts on Mars. The first and most obvious example is vehicular; All vehicles from submersibles to diver propulsion units underwater are battery electric. Internal combustion engines will not work underwater unless you carry a liquid oxygen supply with you (a solution that is only practical for torpedos, but not widely used anymore). Likewise, on Mars there would be no internal combustion engine vehicles but rather battery electric rovers similar to the ones used by Apollo astronauts on the Moon. While theirs was powered by a single-use primary cell, obviously any similar vehicle purchased by or built for the Mars Society would employ low cost off the shelf lead acid batteries for propulsion. At present there are several options available to those looking for an affordable electric alternative to an ATV. Actual electric ATVs exist but their lithium batteries make them cost prohibitive. The kind of vehicle I am describing is more akin to a ruggedized offroad golf cart of the type manufactured by Polaris industries[5] and sold for use by hunters who want a silent way to move friends and gear through the forest such that they do not alert wildlife. Additional batteries could be added in parallel to increase the range with no alteration needed to the vehicle’s charger or onboard electronics, and a rooftop solar cell would provide a means of remotely charging a rover if it is stranded due to depleted batteries.