Broadcast 2451 (Special Edition)

  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • space settlement progress

  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • helix-space the space show sponsor

The Space Foundation Conference

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Guest: Sonia Van Meter. Topics: The Mars 100, going to & living on Mars, human spaceflight, space exploration, STEM. Please direct all comments and questions regarding Space Show programs/guest(s) to the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. In addition, please remember that your Amazon purchases can help support The Space Show/OGLF. See www.onegiantleapfoundation.org/amazon.htm. For those listening to archives using live365.com and rating the programs, please email me as to why you assign a specific rating to the show. This will help me bring better programming to the audience. We welcomed Sonia Van Meter to the show to discuss Mars One and the Mars 100 as Sonia was selected to be part of the Mars 100. During the first segment of our 100 minute program, Sonia was asked when she first knew she wanted to go to Mars. Though she has always been interested in space and related topics, it was not until she discovered Mars One that she became interested in going to Mars. During the early part of this discussion, Sonia puts forth why she wants to go to Mars & why she thinks it is important to go there. These themes were repeated throughout our discussion. Sonia got many questions about how difficult it might to leave family and friends plus listeners wanted to know if she was a skeptic about the Mars One mission. Sonia explained the importance of looking forward and focusing on the future, not on being skeptical. She was asked how she got her Mars information. She does due diligence on her own as well as receiving some information from Mars One. Sonia said she was in touch with many of the other Mars 100 finalists and they also due their own due diligence and discuss topics among themselves on a frequent basis. Listener questions by emailed were coming in rapidly asking everything from her backup plan if she did not go to Mars to what she would do for healthcare on the Mars One mission. Many listeners asked her about the risks including human spaceflight medical issues, launch risks, and more. She said the mission would need to be vetted by scientists and medical types and if she did not think it was safe, she would pull out of it. Other listeners wanted to know her perception of living conditions and the Martian environment. I asked if spacesuits would be used and if she did any rough camping, backpacking, etc. as a kid that might have helped her prepare her for tough living conditions on Mars. The MIT Study came up and was discussed as well as growth for the Mars One settlement coming either from Earth, the settlers, or both. She said there would be no childbirth for years as it was not safe so for the time being, the settlement would be growing by subsequent Mars One missions. Doug called to make the case for going to the Moon first. Sonia explained to him that she had no opportunities for going to the Moon though she would take them if offered. The only opportunity she had was Mars One. Sonia was looking at the picture from the vantage point of her own objectives while Doug had the big picture of lunar return and development in mind. In the second segment, Bill from Virginia asked if Bas or other Mars One executives were planning to go on the mission to Mars. Don't miss her answer. Todd wanted to know about a possible rescue mission and Andrew sent in a note about Mars One simulations & developing the infrastructure to live off world. I asked our guest if she had factored in launch risks & Randy in Boston asked if she had done a cost benefit analysis on the value of the mission versus the costs of it. Sonia said the educational outreach PR was a large part of the value for her. Privacy issues came up plus she was asked if Mars One went to a moon of Mars would she be disappointed. Don't miss her answer to this question. Near the end of the show, I asked Sonia for her thoughts should American government regulations make her Mars One trip impossible. I also asked if she had considered or would consider pre-emptive surgery to have her appendix or gall bladder removed before going to Mars. Kris in Denver wanted to know if Mars one went under and the people on Mars were stranded, was it the responsibility of nations and their public sectors to attempt a rescue mission for the stranded "Martians." Sonia was asked if she would be OK with nuclear propulsion if it shortened her transit time to Mars and then at the end, I asked her about planetary protection and the limits on landing humans on Mars. I directed her to the NASA Office of Planetary Protection for more information. Please post your comments/questions on TSS blog above. You can reach Sonia through me using drspace@thespaceshow.com.

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12 Apr 2015 Sonia Van Meter
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  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • The Space Foundation Conference

  • space settlement progress

  • helix-space the space show sponsor