Mars Academy Table of Contents

• Mars Introduction
• Mission Goals
• Introduction to Mars :
• Martian Geology
• Craters
• Plains
• Volcanoes
• Deformations
• Canals and Channels
• The Martian Atmosphere
• Life on Mars?
• Could life exist on Mars?
• The Martian meteorite
• Past, present and future missions.
• The Exploration of Mars
• Past missions
• Mariner 3
• Mariner 4
• Mariner 6
• The Viking Missions
• Mars Pathfinder
• Landing sites of past missions.

• Landing Site
• Dao Vallis
• Hebes Chasma
• Mare Tyrrenum
• Eridania Northwest
• North Pole
• Parana Valles
• Gusev Crater
• Summary of chat held to determine landing site  
• Transcript of chat with Dr. Jim Bell, planetary scientist from Cornell University on landing sites.

• Crew Selection and Space Psychology
• Issues on Crew Selection 
• Selecting the Crew for the Manned Mission 
• The process of crew selection 
• Mars Astronaut Quiz
• Add crew selection questions
• See previously added questions
• Summary of Web Chat amongst participants on crew selection 
• Summary of Web Chat with Drs. Stuster and Bachelard  

• Trajectory
• Newton's Law of Gravitation
• General considerations for a Mars mission
• Orbits
• From Earth to Mars
• Getting to Low Earth Orbit
• From Low Earth Orbit to Mars
• The Launch Opportunity
• Calculating the velocity needed to enter the transfer orbit
• Velocity at any point in the orbit
• Velocity at perihelion
• Time needed to effect the transfer
• Determining the initial angle between planets
• Calculating the launch date
• The arrival date
• The Return Trip
• Martian orbit
• Calculation of change in velocity required to enter the transfer orbit
• Time for the return journey
• Aligning the planets for the comeback.
• Determination of return date
• Back to Earth
• Mission timeline

• Propulsion
• Defining the problem : Mars Direct vs. Earth Orbit
• Propulsion efficiency of an engine
• Different types of rocket engines 
• Nuclear Propulsion 
• Pay-Offs of nuclear propulsion systems
• Nuclear engines 
• Electric Propulsion
• Ion Engine
• The Workings of an Electrical Engine
•  Choosing a propulsion system 
•  Possible Mission Architectures 
•  Examples using different propellants 
•  Mass determination   

• Life Support Systems
• Physico Chemical Life Support Systems
• Functions of a CELSS
• Food Production
• Waste Recycling
• Air Recycling
• Water Recycling

• Space Medicine
• Medical effects of spaceflight

• Artificial Gravity
• Centripetal Acceleration and its effects
• Craft and Tether
• Propellant and Spin Up/Down
• Mission Integration
• Mars Direct
• Introduction 
• Mars Direct Architecture 
• Propellant 
• Mission Planning
• Activities on Mars and Mars Semi Direct
• Design Reference Mission
• Mission Architecture
• Space Transportation
• Interactive Preliminary Mission Design Page