The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must
By Robert Zubrin, Richard Wagner
Why this book?
If there's a roadmap to Mars, it is Robert Zubrin's classic The Case for Mars. An aerospace engineer by training, Zubrin describes with exceeding clarity every detail needed to set up a rudimentary camp on Mars with the long-term goal of human migration and Martian terraforming. Zubrin's plans include a novel rocket launch approach called Mars Direct, which sends cargo in advance before the crew and establishes a cycle of launches every two years. Unlike most advocates for Mars settlements, Zubrin doesn't pretend the journey is simple. As with settlements at Jamestown and Plymouth, most migrants will die en route or shortly after. Most interesting is how NASA's plans for Mars for 2040 looks remarkably like Zubrin's Mars Direct circa 1996. Yes, we've wasted decades not even starting.
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