from
https://www.space.com/china-plans-mars-base-with-astronauts

(best to go to citation for graphics.)

China wants to build a sustainable human presence on Mars. Here's how.
By Andrew Jones 1 day ago

China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft orbiting Mars captured this stunning view
of a crescent Red Planet on March 18, 2021. Shown here is the planet's
northern hemisphere from a distance of 6,850 miles (11,000 kilometers).
China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft orbiting Mars captured this stunning view
of a crescent Red Planet on March 18, 2021. Shown here is the planet's
northern hemisphere from a distance of 6,850 miles (11,000 kilometers).
(Image credit: CNSA)
China is looking at the ways of getting astronauts to Mars and back
safely and potentially establishing a long-term presence on the Red Planet.

That's according to a senior Chinese space industry official speaking
Wednesday (June 16) at the Global Space Exploration (GLEX) conference
taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Wang Xiaojing, president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle
Technology (CALT), told the conference audience via a previously
recorded speech that China is researching the best options for
sustainable human missions to Mars.

Related: China is gaining ground in space. Should the US be concerned?

Click here for more Space.com videos...
CLOSE
Noting the recent successful landing of the Tianwen-1 Mars rover
Zhurong, Wang stated that China has bigger plans, beyond even a Mars
sample return mission planned to launch in early 2029.

These and other, unspecified robotic missions to Mars, including in-situ
resource utilization tests — for example extracting subsurface water
from beneath the surface or generating oxygen — are intended to build a
platform for initial human missions, starting with an orbital outpost,
then landing on the planet's surface and finally constructing a Mars base.

The third and final stage envisions forming a so-called "econosphere,"
facilitated by a large-scale Earth-to-Mars fleet, large-scale
development and utilization of resources.

Wang revealed that CALT, which belongs to China's main space contractor,
the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), has
completed comprehensive research on mission architecture. This includes
looking at the available launch times, the types of orbits the
spacecraft can use to get to Mars and the propulsion system best suited
to allow short- and long-term stays and regular, repeated visits.

Sponsored Video
Sponsored by Advertising Partner
Watch to learn more
SEE MORE

China's Mars rover Zhurong poses for a self portrait with its lander in
this photo from Utopia Planitia released on June 11, 2021.

China's Mars rover Zhurong poses for a self portrait with its lander in
this photo from Utopia Planitia released on June 11, 2021. (Image
credit: CNSA)
The initial robotic phase of China's exploration plans would rely on
chemical rockets, the propulsion used today for launches. Early human
missions would use a number of heavy-lift launchers to construct the
Mars spacecraft in orbit, Wang said. These would then rendezvous and
dock with a ferry stage using nuclear electric and nuclear thermal
propulsion for Earth-Mars transfer. Cargo would fly to and land on Mars
separately, and a Mars descent and ascent vehicle (MDAV) would transfer
astronauts to and from the surface, he added.

Nuclear technologies would allow a large decrease in the size of the
Earth-Mars transfer vehicles. This method of propulsion has been
discussed and researched for decades but still requires a number of
technological breakthroughs and its prospective use have typically been
met with environmental concerns.

Nuclear fusion propulsion and space elevator technology were also
considered but require both theoretical and technological breakthroughs.

The econosphere phase envisions developing reusable fleets of
spacecraft, propellant depots for refueling spacecraft in Mars orbit,
and the use of cycle orbits, a concept previously put forward by Buzz
Aldrin.

The plan presented by Wang is both ambitious but also at a very early
stage. CALT makes many of China's Long March rockets and deals only with
the ideas for propulsion.

China's Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and its Long March 2F rocket roll out to
the launch pad on June 9, 2021.

China's Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and its Long March 2F rocket roll out to
the launch pad on June 9, 2021. (Image credit: CASC)
Wang delivered his pre-recorded talk as CALT is preparing for the launch
of the Shenzhou 12 mission, which is scheduled to launch three
astronauts to China's new Tianhe space station today (June 16) at 9:22
p.m. EDT (0122 June 17 GMT; 9:22 a.m. June 17 local time in Beijing).

The plan does not consider the challenges of sending humans on long
journeys through deep space, including radiation and the effects of
microgravity. Other Chinese space institutes would work on these
challenges. The plan does however include some aspects already in
development, including a new-generation crew spacecraft.

No timeline for embarking on crewed Mars missions was mentioned. China
is currently aiming for crewed missions to the moon in the 2030s, so
crewed Mars missions will be much further off.

Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions,
night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment,
let us know at: community@space.com.

" substantial human presence " ?

Never going to happen in the forseable future !

Current technology requires something about the size of the Statue of
Liberty, just for a meager trip to our very close Moon.

Probes to Mars have likewise been very limited and unmanned.

It should be obvious to everyone that Chemical Rocket propulsion will
never cut it. All research should be to finding another means of
momentum. After all, aliens and UFOs have it don't they ? !

On Tue, 22 Jun 2021 18:04:11 -0400, casagiannoni@optimum.net wrote:

>" substantial human presence " ?
>

sustainble not substantial