• Bimfred@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    Three years? A low energy transfer orbit gets you to Mars in less than a year. In the past, theoretical crewed missions were planned with an 8-9 month travel time. With enough propellant, could get that down to just over three months. And that’s with chemical rockets, not some hypothetical nuclear or torch drive.

    • nymnympseudonym@piefed.social
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      5 days ago

      More importantly … what exactly is gained by this incredibly risky biochemical process?

      • Less need for food supplies (seems like recycling/growing more is less challenging than human hibernation)
      • Ummm less boredom?

      It seems orders of magnitude cheaper, safer, and with more immediately Earth-beneficial spinoffs to focus on making more and better bio-recycling.

      • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        Humans who are active in space already have to spend a lot of work keeping up muscle and bone mass. Animals in hibernation under normal gravity also lose bone and muscle mass.

        Imagine doubling that up, just to save a few sandwiches.