SPACEWALK FOR THOMAS PESQUET16 December 2016...Preparations for these complex operations started well in advance, Thomas noted on his Facebook page: “We have started well in advance to prepare for the spacewalks of January. It is a lot of work to service the suits and get them ready, get familiar with the choreography and prepare the tools and equipment. Not even mentioning the thousands of hours of work for all the personnel on the ground.”...
...At NASA’s mission control in Houston, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano will direct the duo as lead communicator – a recognition of ESA’s expertise in Station operations....
Were the Apollo moonwalks very choreographed?
...So are you really asking if there will ever be a point where individuals will routinely go out onto the surface of Mars without the knowledge or assistance of others?
Quote from: Coastal Ron on 01/05/2017 06:14 pm...So are you really asking if there will ever be a point where individuals will routinely go out onto the surface of Mars without the knowledge or assistance of others?Hmmm... I guess something along those lines. The "thousands of hours of work for all the personnel on the ground" leading up to the latest EVA, the level of choreography, the fact that the EVA has a "commander", etc etc... The whole thing is a really complex "big" deal. For basically a battery upgrade in this case. It sounds like the moonwalks were too. I'm just trying to imagine the same level of rigor applied to every little thing we'd need to do on the Mars surface and it seems daunting.
I think you'll find that routine - but never casual - EVAs will not be an issue so long as the workplace culture supports matters properly. The present NASA approach is... ...strange. They have always micro-managed their astronauts, telling them what to do moment by moment and action by action. The Russians, however, just tell their people to go out and fix the big antenna. The Russian way, backed up by a good culture, is the way things will be.
Finally, the only reason I can see to limit EVAs has nothing to do with the people - but will the equipment hold out? The Apollo surface suits took a helluva pounding, and although the surface of Mars can't be as abrasive as that of the Moon it will nevertheless be a difficult place for equipment.
In 200 years time, once Mars has been populated for 100 years, and has over 10 million inhabitants, do you think EVA's WONT be routine?A more interesting question would be, how long will it take for EVA's to be routine.
Quote from: JamesH65 on 01/06/2017 03:51 pmIn 200 years time, once Mars has been populated for 100 years, and has over 10 million inhabitants, do you think EVA's WONT be routine?A more interesting question would be, how long will it take for EVA's to be routine.I think low altitude EVAs may only require a breathing mask at that time. (And warm clothes, usually.)
Quote from: Robotbeat on 01/06/2017 09:36 pmQuote from: JamesH65 on 01/06/2017 03:51 pmIn 200 years time, once Mars has been populated for 100 years, and has over 10 million inhabitants, do you think EVA's WONT be routine?A more interesting question would be, how long will it take for EVA's to be routine.I think low altitude EVAs may only require a breathing mask at that time. (And warm clothes, usually.)In 200 years, pressure suit-free on the surface... do you genuinely think that is possible?
QuoteIn 200 years, pressure suit-free on the surface... do you genuinely think that is possible?Yes, in Hellas Basin.
In 200 years, pressure suit-free on the surface... do you genuinely think that is possible?
Requires a lot of work, but definitely possible. A couple F35's worth of funding (trillion) could pay for it.