Broadcast 1613 (Special Edition)

Guests; Dr. John Jurist, Brian Enke, Dr. Vadim Rygalov. Topics: This is a webinar discussion concerning the comprehensive human factors requirements for a manned deep space or Mars mission. You are invited to comment, ask questions, and discuss the Space Show program/guest(s) on the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments, questions, and any discussion must be relevant and applicable to Space Show programming. Transcripts of Space Show programs are not permitted without prior written consent from The Space Show (even if for personal use) & are a violation of the Space Show copyright. The webcam video can be seen at http://vimeo.com/channels/238180. In addition, on the blog post, you will find a PPT by Dr. Rygalov & one submitted by Brian Enke so refer to them during the discussion. We welcomed Drs. Jurist & Rygalov and Brian Enke back to the show for this two hour panel discussion focusing on the life support needed for safely conducting a manned mission to deep space/Mars. In our fist segment, after panel member opening statements, we zeroed in on the issue of radiation. This topic consumed most of the first segment. We talked about the types of radiation astronauts will experience, the difference between LEO and beyond LEO radiation, methods for shielding today and in the future, lifetime doses for radiation workers (astronauts) & the general population, plus the possibility of a private group disregarding the regs & laws to do a Mars flight regardless of radiation crew issues. Our guests pointed out the essentials needed to understand the radiation issue in full, including the mass of the crew vehicle & the flight time to & from the destination. Each of our panel members had lots to say on radiation and the subsets of information we discussed in this segment .As we started the second hour, microgravity issues were our focus, starting with artificial gravity and a long arm centrifuge using a tether. Dr. Rygalov spent considerable time talking about what happened with the person who has been in space the longest of anyone, Cosmonaut and medical doctor, Dr. Valeri Polyakov. As a medical doctor who knew how to protect himself in space, his routine was unique, but to this day he still has problems from his 438 days on orbit. We talked about partial gravity, how to do artificial gravity, spin rates, but also what to do while on the surface of Mars as that will be 0.38 of Earth's 1 gravity with no centrifuge. We also addressed mental and psycho-social issues. Dr. Rygalov took us through the four phases of time & conditions leading to mental breakdown needing constant Earth intervention as a requirement. Dr. Rygalov was asked to compare this to the Chilean miners trapped underground last year. Don't miss what he had to say about this. Crew size was the next topic & our guests had much to say on this issue with behavioral & clique issues heavily influenced by crew size.. Martian & lunar dust issues came up briefly. Many critical aspects of manned mission to Mars were not discussed because of the lack of time. One example would be the stability of Life Support technologies & equipment remaining stable, including hardware, bio-regenerative life support materials, etc. Also, most consumable supplies are only usable up to about 6 months or 1/3 of a Martian trip.. Post comments on the blog above. If you want to contact either of our panel members, do so through me.