Red Chaser (Dream Chaser) alternative to Red Dragon

[Jim]

With respect Jim, JPL has been playing around with several Mars flyer type designs for the last couple of decades,

The issue here is not airplane but a lifting body shape.

[Prober]

The fact that I keep clicking on this thread probably means that I'm failing an intelligence test.

No, maybe your having fun or exercising some lazy brain cells 

[Prober]

With respect Jim, JPL has been playing around with several Mars flyer type designs for the last couple of decades,

The issue here is not airplane but a lifting body shape.

Jim JPL, is looking at everything. Where does a helicopter get its lift?
Let me point out again, the sky crane was not a capsule lander, or airplane it was a new concept.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4457

[ChrisWilson68]

With respect Jim, JPL has been playing around with several Mars flyer type designs for the last couple of decades,

The issue here is not airplane but a lifting body shape.

Jim JPL, is looking at everything. Where does a helicopter get its lift?
Let me point out again, the sky crane was not a capsule lander, or airplane it was a new concept.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4457

A sky crane isn't a lifting body.  A helicopter isn't a lifting body.

Your point seems to be "someone else did something that isn't a capsule, so therefore everything that isn't a capsule is a good idea".  But that doesn't follow.

Nobody is saying a capsule is the only way to land on Mars.  What they are saying is that (1) a capsule (Dragon) is one way to land on Mars and (2) Dream Chaser is not a way to land on Mars.

[Prober]

With respect Jim, JPL has been playing around with several Mars flyer type designs for the last couple of decades,

The issue here is not airplane but a lifting body shape.

Jim JPL, is looking at everything. Where does a helicopter get its lift?
Let me point out again, the sky crane was not a capsule lander, or airplane it was a new concept.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4457

A sky crane isn't a lifting body.  A helicopter isn't a lifting body.

Your point seems to be "someone else did something that isn't a capsule, so therefore everything that isn't a capsule is a good idea".  But that doesn't follow.

Nobody is saying a capsule is the only way to land on Mars.  What they are saying is that (1) a capsule (Dragon) is one way to land on Mars and (2) Dream Chaser is not a way to land on Mars.

Well some of the Boeing Engineers of the 1960's might disagree with your line of thinking.

http://www.wired.com/2012/10/dyna-soars-martian-cousin-bonos-mars-glider-1960/

[GWH]

Well some of the Boeing Engineers of the 1960's might disagree with your line of thinking.

http://www.wired.com/2012/10/dyna-soars-martian-cousin-bonos-mars-glider-1960/

Those engineers in the early 60s didn't know the atmosphere was so thin until mariner 4.

Edit: the article you posted actually states this: "Bono’s description of the glider’s aerodynamic performance at Mars was based on an estimated martian surface air pressure about 8% of Earth’s; the true figure is, however, less than 1% of Earth’s surface pressure."
And this: "Its delta wings would have provided lift, reducing the amount of propellant and the size of the engines needed to attain Mars orbit. In the actual martian atmosphere, the combination would not have been adequate for flight to Mars orbit."

[ChrisWilson68]

Well some of the Boeing Engineers of the 1960's might disagree with your line of thinking. :o

http://www.wired.com/2012/10/dyna-soars-martian-cousin-bonos-mars-glider-1960/

Those engineers in the early 60s didn't know the atmosphere was so thin until mariner 4.

Yeah, and even at that, Dyna-Soar was not a lifting body, it was a delta-wing craft.

[redliox]

The video we all watched gave me some insight
You think in terms of substitutions, and upgrades of the Dream Chaser (basic design).  The end sequence has Red Chaser hatch opening up for a rover, or even better a module moved out.  Lot's of possibilities    

No possibilities.  It is non starter and completely not feasible.  Mars atmosphere density is equivalent to over 100kft in earth's atmosphere.  The wings are useless, and it have to land like any other Mars lander.  So there is no point in continuing this thread.

I have to agree with Jim, at least in general.  A small probe may be able to handle winged flight, but I think for something of serious mass the only method that may work for flight (without needing unlimited rocket fuel) would be balloons and zeppelins.  The Dream Chaser couldn't be refitted for Mars in practicality.