I can think of a place other than the moon where NASA could develop a closed life-support system for staging rehearsals of manned Mars exploration. Why not Earth? Advantages would include a protective atmosphere, a day length closer to the Martian sol, bone-and-muscle-friendly gravity, and easy access to mechanical and medical resources. The cost would be much less than that of a moon base, and crew rotation would involve motor vehicles rather than launch vehicles. Why not keep the rehearsal safe and relatively cheap?
Jeffry D. Mueller Eldersburg, Md.
From the Nature Index
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