China wants to build a sustainable human presence on Mars. Here's how.

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

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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?

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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.

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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.

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