Alexander Martynov

I had the opportunity to talk to Dr Martynov over dinner after his presentation to 400 students and teachers in Norwich.  

Dr Martynov  is a 'can-do' man.   Can we send a manned mission to Mars?   No problem!   Give Dr Martynov a team and a few years and he tells you he will put people on Mars.   Dr Martynov has a track record for getting things done in the Russian space programme. He designed landers that went to the Moon, Mars and Venus and steered them and cosmonauts through space as a flight controller at Russian Mission Control.    Dr Martynov is now the Head of Foreign Relations at the City of Korolev near Moscow. Home of the Mission Control for Russian space missions, Korolev is an international centre for the aerospace industry. 

When I was at Kennedy Space Centre earlier this year, NASA officials said that they had not got a team working on concepts for a manned Mars Mission.   In contrast, Dr Martynov told me that the Russians are advanced in their plans for an international effort.   A subsequent web search produced the following details and references.

Russian plans for a Mars spacecraft shown by Dr Martynov (RKK Energia)

The 600 tonne Russian Mars vehicle would be put together in Earth orbit from modules.   If space shuttle ferried the parts that's 30 trips as the maximum shuttle payload is 20 tonnes.   The Russians say they can build a rocket to lift 200 tonne payloads.   They have a history of rockets with monster grunt, so I have little doubt that they can do it.  

 

Key data on the interplanetary vehicle of the RSC Energia concept
Initial vehicle mass	about 600 tons
Total mission time	about 2 years
Number of the crewmembers	6 persons
Interplanetary engine thrust	300 N
Solar power plant capacity	15 MW

more details from http://www.energia.ru/english/energia/mars/mars.html