Integration of Moon and Mars programs in the 21st century. Problem definition and approach

The exploration of the EARTH-MOON and PLANET MARS, which has begun in the second half of the 20th century, will undoubtly continue in the 21st century. Initially this will be done by robotic space missions, however, the question of the participation of humans in the continued exploration of the MOON and MARS appears to be desirable and remains open. There are many who believe - as already proposed by President Bush - that eventually humans will not only return to the Moon, but also go on to Mars to extend the sphere of human activities in space. There are obvious commonalities and interrelations between the lunar development and Mars exploration activities. These will greatly influence the overall cost and timing as well as the benefits derived requiring a detailed analysis. This extension of the present space program remains on the agenda. However, further studies are required to point out the best opportunities and options available. Attractive proposals are essential for decisions to be taken possibly early in the next century, on WHEN and HOW these development steps should be realized. This report attempts to describe the present status and define the problems and issues arising in developing an attractive integrated plan. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 3442(327) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman