This is not an article about kinetics, it is an article about systems and resilience. Overcoming the True Barriers to Mars Habitation. Someone tell Elon, we will not be able to survive on Mars long term without this…
Mankind cannot simply “skip over the Moon,” as its low-gravity environment and strategic Lagrange points are essential for the learning curve necessary in achieving success on Mars.
Stem cells are at risk of becoming precancerous after prolonged exposure to microgravity,1 and Earth plants will not naturally thrive on Mars without substantial intervention.2 These are more much more daunting problems to solve, than rockets and stainless steel flying appliances. Any primitive can blow things up. But surviving in the Universe requires a much greater level of savvy.
A Moon-based infrastructure, facilitating production and supporting the development of an unmanned Mars support system, will be critical for ensuring survival and sustainability on the Red Planet. It is imperative to recognize that the ability to lift heavy payloads into space, while important, is not sufficient for the long-term success of interplanetary habitation.
The infrastructure outlined in this article is designed to address three profound technological challenges, forming the essential foundation for humanity’s sustainable presence in Inner-Sol. This proposed solution offers robust support for essential missions and contingencies, embodying a scalability, resilience, agility, and sustainability that empower us to adapt to diverse challenges as we extend our reach to Mars and beyond.
As mankind stands on the threshold of expanding its presence in near-space, what kind of technology truly prepares us for a sustainable future of operations in Inner-Sol space? Such a technology cannot simply solve isolated technical problems; rather, it must establish a framework that equips humanity to operate, adapt, and standardize across a diverse set of mission requirements. Beyond immediate needs, it must embody a versatility that anticipates and grows with the scope of our ambitions. What are the essential traits of a technology that scales, endures, and aligns with the inevitable challenges that lie ahead, especially as are entailed in transitional or at-risk Mars habitation?
In my professional opinion, grounded in systems engineering, development of large infrastructure projects, and experience with national development strategy, the chosen technology must deliver three essential broadscope capabilities:
- Robust Support of Essential Missions and Contingencies: The technology applications must meet crucial, and perhaps not fully acknowledged, mission needs, encompassing scalability, resilience, agility, and sustainability—especially during the period prior to Mars habitation autonomy. These qualities are essential for adapting to a wide range of challenges as humanity’s reach extends across Inner-Sol, ensuring both mission success and contingency readiness.
- A Framework for Risk-Savvy Operational Mastery and Standardization: Beyond addressing isolated issues, the technology must cultivate a robust framework that enables humanity to mitigate spacefaring risk, as well as develop best practices, universal standards, and the expertise necessary for sustainable operations across various Inner-Sol environments and missions. This framework will establish an infrastructure of knowledge and proficiency essential for long-term presence in space.
- Elegant Alignment with Existential Challenge Horizons: The technology should not only integrate with the anticipated advancements of our era but should actively engage with humanity’s broader existential challenges. It must enable us to explore, innovate, and evolve in response to the profound demands of our spacefaring goals, aligning near-term operations with the grand-scheme needs of our species’ future in Inner-Sol space and beyond.
These challenges set the stage for the concept program I introduce here, termed the ‘Inner-Sol Essential Transfer System,’ or IN-SOLET, as envisioned by The Ethical Skeptic.
Inner-Sol Essential Transfer System (IN-SOLET)
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ‘It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.’ In the context of humanity’s progression toward sustained space and orbital operations, the journey itself becomes the destination. This article proposes an ambitious, yet proportionate response to this challenge: a plan for a robust inner-solar system relay and transit infrastructure known as the Inner-Sol Essential Transfer System, or IN-SOLET.
The proposed Inner-Sol Essential Transfer System (IN-SOLET) is composed of three primary components (labeled in Exhibit 1 below):
A. MARCONs – First, a ring of six autonomous Mars Relay Conduit Stations (MARCONs) orbiting heliocentrically at approximately 1.4 Astronomical Units from the Sun, positioned 75 to 80% of the interval between the orbits of Earth and Mars. These are not proposed warehouses per se, as true storage can happen on the planet’s surface; rather, these are staging and release redundant relay centers enabling a frequent and robust supply line between Earth and Mars (and, consequently, from Mars to Earth as well).
They are a railroad system enabling mankind’s reach to Mars and the solar system.
B. Transfer Vehicle – Second, these relay stations are supplied by a transfer vehicle, comprising both Cargo and Command Habitation Modules, loaded in Earth orbit, ensuring consistent resupply and connectivity to each MARCON as it passes by Earth’s orbital position at any given time.
C. Unit Load Cargo and Mission Specific Modules – Finally, IN-SOLET employs a standardized Unit Load system, which serves dual roles: transporting cargo to the surface of Mars and supporting diverse exploration and research operations throughout the middle and outer Solar System.
This proposed infrastructure establishes the robust supply lines essential for ensuring the survival of any pre-autonomous Mars habitation. It achieves this support without requiring humans to endure the extended and hazardous periods associated with space transit (Click on Image 1 below to view an expanded image).
The advantage of this robust and redundant support system, particularly in the context of Mars habitation, lies in the significant enhancement of mission risk management and survivability. During the crucial phase when Mars remains dependent on Earth for essential resources, IN-SOLET provides a vital lifeline, ensuring that operations can endure and adapt even under challenging conditions.
In the Exhibit B simulation below, readers can observe the substantial advantages offered by the proposed MARCON orbital array, particularly in terms of agility, robust supply lines, and resilience—each essential for sustaining Mars habitation. This system achieves a delivery frequency that is 5 to 7 times higher than that of the current Hohmann Transfer Orbit model. In this basic simulation, 504 Unit Load modules are delivered at a consistent, steady rate via the MARCON array, contrasting sharply with the Hohmann model’s delivery of 72 modules in a single high-risk surge every 26 months, during a limited 3-week window (see Exhibit A1 below).
In theory, it would be possible to launch 504 Unit Loads during the 3-week, 26-month Hohmann Transfer window as well; however, this approach would entail an unacceptably high risk of mission failure and catastrophic outcomes for Mars habitation. Without fallback options or redundancy, any mishap could result in a complete supply cut-off, leaving the Mars habitat vulnerable and likely unable to survive the 26-month wait for the next transfer window (Click on the image in Exhibit 2 to run the simulation video).
The primary advantage of the proposed IN-SOLET array is that Earth would enter a ‘Mars launch window’ seven times more frequently than current conditions allow. Without this reduced launch interval, any Mars habitation risks perishing under the constraints of our current Hohmann Transfer limitations.
The reader should note that, while human habitation could potentially be integrated as a secondary or emergency aspect of this proposed infrastructure, the primary purpose of the MARCON array is of course critical material and logistical support, and not necessarily human transportation.
Component Descriptions
A. Mars Relay Conduit Stations (MARCONs) – The Solar System Railway
A ring of six autonomous Mars Relay Conduit Stations (MARCONs) orbits heliocentrically at approximately 1.4 Astronomical Units from the Sun, positioned at 75 to 80% of the interval between Earth’s and Mars’ orbits. These stations are not intended as warehouses, as storage can occur on the Martian surface; rather, they function as staging and release points—redundant relay centers that facilitate a frequent, reliable supply line between Earth and Mars. A preliminary synodic optimization supporting the simulation above is illustrated below.
This estimated optimization depicted in Exhibit A1 above is determined by means of the synodic period formula:3
Where:
- S is the synodic period (the time between successive alignments of Mars and MARCON), and
- P1 and P2 are the orbital periods of the two bodies.
In absence of this logistics asset improvement, the Mars habitation will suffer unreasonable delays in its re-supply, and possibly an existentially endangering isolation during the outpost state of its development.4
In addition, Hohmann transfer strategies that require human transit will be complicated by the fact that biomarker studies show that hyper-extended stays (1+ yrs) in microgravity and tend to activate human stem cells into precancerous states.5 This unmanned and robust ‘Railroad’ to Mars will be absolutely essential for human quality of life in a Mars value chain context.
Each MARCON station is an innovative orbital platform, central to revolutionizing the logistics of interplanetary commerce and supply. Strategically designed for unmanned sustained operations, these stations serve as intermediate waypoints on the Hohmann Transfer path to Mars,6 facilitating the regular transit of cargo and vehicles necessary for supporting Martian habitation. With the deployment of six such stations, the frequency of potential transfer windows for deliveries to Mars increases at least five-fold (see Exhibit 2 simulation above), dramatically enhancing the operational cadence and responsiveness of the supply chain. This network of MARCON stations is pivotal for maintaining a steady stream of resources, scientific equipment, and personnel, ensuring that Mars habitation efforts by SpaceX, Blue Origin, and their partners are well-supported.
The scalability and robust design of the MARCON stations embody the forward-thinking approach essential for making Mars a viable destination for human exploration and long-term settlement. However, the first step in any such endeavor is to establish fully operational systems on and around the Moon, with a particular focus on Earth-Lunar Lagrange Point 1 (ELL-1, as shown in Exhibit A2 below). Here, we will develop, test, and standardize the first MARCON station, eventually constructing them before deploying them into their final heliocentric orbit. Sub-assembly will need to occur on the Lunar surface itself.
Click on this article for a complete description of The Ethical Skeptic’s Earth-Lunar Lagrange 1 Orbital Rapid Response Array (ELORA), a proposed method for rapid interdiction of Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHO) to Earth.
Mankind cannot simply “skip over the Moon,” as its low-gravity environment and strategic Lagrange points are essential for achieving success on Mars. Stem cells are at risk of becoming precancerous after prolonged exposure to microgravity,7 and Earth plants will not naturally thrive on Mars without substantial intervention.8 9 A Moon-based infrastructure, facilitating production and supporting the development of an unmanned Mars MARCON support system, will be critical for ensuring survival and sustainability on the Red Planet. It is imperative to recognize that the ability to lift heavy payloads into space, while important, is not sufficient for the long-term success of interplanetary habitation.
The MARCON station itself is conceptually outfitted with a heavy liquid, sodium polytungstate (SPT), anti-nutation and ballast compensation system, which pumps the heavy liquid to the center of the station mass as Cargo Module Unit Loads are added to the automated storage system. This compensates for the added mass and allows the station to keep a constant angular momentum and thermal profile throughout the station. At the same time, a control system allocates the SPT as a means of compensating for vehicle nutation (natural oscillation of its rotational axis), creating a kind of dynamically distributed football-shaped mass (a ‘spiral pass’ if you will), helping maintain craft stability, and reducing overall long term structural wear and tear.
The mission of these automated stations is to receive, Hohmann Transfer, temp control, handle, and release both cargo and mission specific Unit Load Modules. Exhibit A3 below, shows both the longitudinal and axial concept of operation for the MARCON station and its key features (click on image to expand).
Of course, the MARCONs will need to be replenished during each of their transits near to Earth. This serves to introduce the second component of the IN-SOLET system, the Transfer Vehicle.
B. Transfer Vehicle
Second, MARCON relay stations are supplied by a transfer vehicle, comprising both Cargo and Command Habitation Modules, loaded in Earth orbit, ensuring consistent resupply and connectivity to each MARCON as it passes by Earth’s orbital position at any given time.
The IN-SOLET transfer vehicle is a sophisticated spacecraft designed to bridge the gap between Earth orbit and the MARCON stations, playing a pivotal role in the logistics of inner Solar System travel as well as outer Solar System exploration. At its core, the vehicle comprises two primary components: the Habitation & Command Module, which serves as the nerve center for navigation and life support, and the Cargo Module, a versatile compartment designed for the transport of Unit Load supplies, mission equipment, and potentially crew habitations to Mars. Conceptually equipped with advanced propulsion systems, the transfer module vehicle is capable of precise docking maneuvers, ensuring safe attachment to the MARCON.
Upon docking, the transfer vehicle unloads its cargo along the shared rotational axis of both vehicles, supporting continual resupply and operational sustainability for the MARCON stations. As Unit Loads enter the MARCON, they are moved along this central axis and then evenly distributed radially along the station’s outer perimeter. To balance the added mass and maintain angular velocity and momentum, sodium polytungstate is pumped from the MARCON’s perimeter tanks toward its center.
This vehicle will not only stand as a testament to human engineering but will also function as an essential element in the grander vision of making human presence on Mars a reality, supporting the Mars habitation efforts of trailblazing companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Finally, both the MARCON stations and their supporting Transfer Vehicle utilize a standardized, multi-functional Unit Load system designed to support diverse missions, including supply, exploration, and resource capture. The proposed functionality of this Unit Load system is outlined as follows.
C. Unit Load Cargo and Mission Specific Modules
IN-SOLET employs a standardized Unit Load system, which serves dual roles: transporting cargo to the surface of Mars and supporting diverse exploration and research operations throughout the middle and outer Solar System.
The Unit Load Launch & Re-entry Module (a combination of vehicle and container contexts) is a critical component of the overall IN-SOLET program, designed for efficient MARCON transport and planetary surface delivery. Engineered to encapsulate both durability for space travel and the finesse required for Mars re-entry, these vehicles are the workhorses of cargo and equipment transfer. Each Unit Load vehicle is concepted to be adept at handling the rigorous demands of launch, navigating the vacuum of space, and safely re-entering Mars’ atmosphere.
Their modular design allows for a streamlined integration with the MARCON stations Automatic Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS), facilitating a seamless supply chain between Earth and the burgeoning or at-risk Martian infrastructure. The adaptability of these vehicles to carry a variety of payloads makes them indispensable in the quest for establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars, supporting the intricate logistics that future Martian habitats by SpaceX, Blue Origin, and similar entities will rely upon.
The IN-SOLET Unit Load concept is designed to accommodate a wide range of automated storage and handling applications (cited or implied in this article), each ‘pallet-sized’ for versatility in space operations—from research and supply to diverse operational tasks, including the deployment of probes, satellites, and asteroid or Jovian moon missions. This adaptable system not only enhances operational efficiency but also aligns seamlessly with a national charter to ensure that the United States maintains leadership in scientific discovery and the development of innovative technological standards.
Future Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and Dyson’s Ring Commentary
It should be noted that astronomers currently estimate that the sun’s Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) will increase in brightness over the next 3.5 billion years of its lifespan, by 40%.10 In order to mitigate this additional electromagnetic spectrum of emissions, humanity will need to extend its habitation zone further out into the Solar system.
When a main sequence star like the Sun becomes 40% brighter, its overall electromagnetic spectrum luminosity increases by 40% as well. The relationship between the luminosity of the star and the distance required to maintain the same amount of energy absorption (and thus temperature) is governed by Newton’s inverse square law. According to this law, the intensity of solar radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.
If L is the luminosity of the Sun and d is the distance, the relationship is given by L / d2. To maintain the same solar constant despite a 40% increase in luminosity, one would set up the equation:
where 1 AU (astronomical unit) is the current average distance from the Earth to the Sun. If we calculate the new distance (in terms of AU) that would maintain the current Earth temperature or the same temperate ‘Goldilocks’ conditions currently experienced on Earth, if the Sun were to become 40% brighter, the Earth will need to be 1.15 to 1.25 astronomical units (AU) away from the Sun. The halfway distance between Earth and Mars, along a Hohmann Transfer orbit, or the average distance of a hypothetical Dyson Ring placed halfway between the orbits of Earth and Mars, employed to mitigate this TSI increase would be approximately 1.26 Astronomical Units (AU) from the Sun.
Therefore, this MARCON synodic optimization falls tantalizingly proximal to the location of a potential future Dyson’s Ring, critical in the long-term survival of humanity in Inner Sol.
Summary
IN-SOLET is designed to address the three profound technological challenges we posed at the outset of this article, building the essential foundation for humanity’s sustainable presence in Inner-Sol. It offers robust support for essential missions and contingencies, embodying a scalability, resilience, agility, and sustainability that empower us to adapt to diverse challenges as we extend our reach to Mars and beyond. Positing more than simple isolated solutions, IN-SOLET fosters a framework for operational mastery and standardization, establishing best practices, universal standards, and a deep well of expertise essential to thriving in a range of interplanetary environments. Its phasing allows us to establish an effective operating infrastructure in the most risk-averse manner feasible.
Finally, IN-SOLET meets with the greater existential challenge horizons set before mankind, providing elegant alignment between today’s advancements and the long-term needs of humanity. By positioning MARCON stations along orbits that may one day form the backbone of humanity’s own home Dyson Ring, IN-SOLET sets the stage for enduring infrastructure that could support human life as the Solar System itself evolves. In this way, IN-SOLET is not merely a technological framework but a legacy of foresight, built to empower humanity’s exploration and survival within the cosmos for possibly the next three billion years.
Maybe street vendors someday in this future Dyson’s Ring will name a sandwich after me.
The Ethical Skeptic, “Beyond Heavy Lift: We Won’t Survive Mars Without This”; The Ethical Skeptic, WordPress, 3 Nov 2024; Web, https://theethicalskeptic.com/2024/11/02/beyond-heavy-lift-overcoming-the-true-barriers-to-mars-habitation/
- Stem cell instability in microgravity. Experiments suggest that human stem cells (especially hematopoietic or blood-forming progenitors) exposed to microgravity or spaceflight conditions develop pre-cancerous features over time (e.g. increased chromosomal aberrations, DNA damage, stress responses). (Ladel, Pham, et al; 2022)
- Difficulties growing plants under Martian conditions. Even when provided with light, CO₂, and soil-like substrates, plants face severe growth limitations in Martian constraints — due to phylo/nutrient deficiency, salinity, toxic mineral content, radiation stress, and biomechanical stresses in reduced gravity. (Kasiviswanathan, Swanner, et al.; 2022)
- Jeremy Tatum, PhD.; University of Victoria Celestial Mechanics; LibreTexts; Sec 8.3, Sidereal and Synodic Periods.
- Florian Neukart, “Towards Sustainable Horizons: A Comprehensive Blueprint for Mars Colonization,” Leiden
Institute of Advanced Computer Science; Terra Quantum AG. - Luisa Ladel, Jessica Pham, Larissa Balaian, Kathleen Steel, Isabelle Oliver, Catriona Jamieson; Modeling Premalignant Transformation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in a Nanobioreactor in Microgravity. Blood 2022; 140 (Supplement 1): 2982–2983. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2022-168138
- Anderson, J.D. (1997). Hohmann transfer orbit. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_174
- Luisa Ladel, Jessica Pham, Larissa Balaian, Kathleen Steel, Isabelle Oliver, Catriona Jamieson; Modeling Premalignant Transformation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in a Nanobioreactor in Microgravity. Blood 2022; 140 (Supplement 1): 2982–2983. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2022-168138
- Lallanilla, Marc; LiveScience: Plants Grow Differently in Zero Gravity; 10 Dec 2012; https://www.livescience.com/25380-plant-growth-zero-gravity.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Edward Fu; StudyLib: The effects of magnetic fields on plant growth and health; https://studylib.net/doc/18601361/the-effects-of-magnetic-fields-on-plant-growth-and-health?utm_source=chatgpt.com#google_vignette
- David Taylor, Professor of Physics and Astronomy; Northwestern University: The Life and Death of Stars: The
Sun’s Evolution; https://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/infocom/The%20Website/evolution.htm
Look how woefully unprepared we were to get some stranded crew off the space station, just a few hundred miles in earth orbit. Even though one of the crew was having serious health issues, there seemed to be a lack of will to do anything to help them. The human/management factor is stuck on petty jealousies and indifference. I am not optimistic that what is proposed here will ever be manageable.
I spot a few issues with this IN-SOLET plan. Information in [] is provided by Claude and not double checked. I have done dozens of these missions in an excessively realistic total conversion of KSP enabling me to quickly spot these issues. First is that this article assumes only fast transfers exist. Slow transfers become an option when travel time is not an issue [and sometimes have lower delta v]. While their launch windows are only months apart and doesn’t help distribute over time, the slow transfer does has a wider launch window [of 75 days]. There is still a… Read more »
Ryan, I hold these to all be fair critiques. You are correct, the delta-v premium is a significant aspect of the ‘interrupted Hohmann’ challenge. As with all aspects of my proposed solution, it requires more engineering, no doubt. However, this challenge is not one of an astrophysics nature, it is a systems engineered economy challenge. Part of the mission of IN-SOLET is to train mankind in how to best use intermediate and way-staging to accomplish a variety of goals in space (including highly eccentric relay station orbits, as you cite – but I did not want to distract from the… Read more »
I agree that having a a second shipping network that delivers constant uninterrupted materials will increase the generalizability and efficiency of our ability to spread and explore the solar system and decrease the extinction chance of Mars… compared to simply optimizing for direct transfers when planets align. Yes, we should have a systems engineered economy, and if the goal of your post and reply is to inspire such, it seems successful. I just disagree on 3 counts. 1) your location (80% to mars) 2) your method (launching from earth to intercept a supply hub that is not orbiting a planet… Read more »
Your argument hinges on one thing: the magnitude of Δv for MARCON rendezvous. The MARCON station is already situated on a theoretical optimum Hohmann mission trajectory and velocity, and the loading ship is launched to match the same angular velocity and orbital axis angle as the MARCON. The MARCON is neither an intermediary gravity well nor a significant orbital angular velocity correction/adjustment maneuver waypoint. I would need to see the massive m(f) to m(0) fuel premium you calculate this midflight radial adjustment activity to entail. Aside from this, the three points you raise are all non-critical path 1) “80%” is… Read more »
Unlike Incredible Hulk comics, gamma rays are really bad for you. A 4 ft. thickness of water, or 4 ft. of lead, is pretty good protection. Doc Bruce Banner would have fared better “belted by manta rays”.
Maybe halfway, maybe not at all… You go first, Elon. Would astronauts’ kidneys survive a roundtrip to Mars? https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/jun/would-astronauts-kidneys-survive-roundtrip-mars
Why no discussion on the Van Allen Belts?
What do you have in mind?
You know; the usual stuff. High energy particles and what they will do to the human body. Stuff like that. How to get from here to there without that kind of nuisance to worry about.
Essentially, everything that contains metal and flies through them will emit microwaves, right? I wonder how the Apollo missions made it through them… I really, really do wonder.
If we could somehow get a self-sustaining robot base operational as initial seed. Something that could grow, mine ressources and eventually terra form the place. Currently, I think its utterly unihabitable. But the systems required for something like this are much more advanced than what there is today. Unless, the System Lords have highly advanced tech stashed away in their DUMBs I don‘t see us getting there this decade.
We will get there ceremonially, but just as with the Moon, we will realize how wholly unequipped we are to actually do anything there – and have to take a long break to figure out how to accomplish it.
The Moon has tritium, a valuable commodity for the near future, when fusion powers-up.
I believe you mean 3He (Helium-three), not tritium.
Yes, the only reason I see for wanting to get so far away from earth is to escape the entities currently in control of the human realm. I do not understand how these demonic bloodlines could have been allowed to gain such total control over us. As long as we have not freed us of their dominion, we shall not be worthy of colonizing the stars.
Mars seems to have been a habitable planet in it’s past, but not anymore. Why even try to inhabit mars?
Why get out of your crib and try and walk? It is dangerous, all your toys are in your crib, and there’s nothing to walk to…
What are the tradeoffs between 6 hubs at 75-80% of the distance between Earth and Mars, guaranteeing the presence of a receiving port at that range versus say fewer hubs (4?) per range increment but 2 or more rings of hubs at various distances?
Risk goes up exponentially, so it is not a linear relationship. If the window doubles, the risk goes up more than double. Of course we will need to start with 2, then 4, then 6, then something different altogether.