Captain's Log: Planning The Journey

As far as my final project is concerned, i don't really have many ideas for it apart from an essay. Perhaps i will decide on something more interesting but at the moment an essay seems like the most logical choice.

After the meeting on balancing our research and using a variety of sources, I began to think about where i will be getting my information from. It's true that my information will be from predominantly secondary sources. If i could go to Mars to do an experiment about the suitability of life there, i would have already partly answered my question. Not that it really matters, its rather unlikely ill be there soon. Much of my information will be coming from magazine articles and interviews of scientists.

HOWEVER, i have had a eureka moment about an experiment that i can do. Using a clinostat in biology i can negate the effects of gravity. It works by spinning vertically so that gravity is averaged over 360 degrees, but at a slow pace to avoid a centralpetal force. Then i can put something in it. What that will be remains to be finalized. Obviously im not going to keep a human spinning for weeks. Although perhaps i can use colonies of bacteria or germinating plants, and see if this micrgravity environment affects their reproduction and respiration. Of course a bacteria is massively different to a human, but the core processes of life will still be similar, and perhaps i will be able to gain some knowledge from the experiment and attempt to apply it to our species. I have asked Mr Milne about doing this at some point in the future and he says that it sounds like a good idea.

Oh, and i bought a Buzz Aldrin App on my ipod about space science. Constantly Making Progress.

Captain's Log: Why I Chose This Research

I have always enjoyed sciences and i've always been fascinated by space and its many mysteries. A few years ago I watched a documentary about the 1969 moon landing when Neil Armstrong became the first human being to step out onto another celestial body. At the end of the documentary the narrator posed a simple question: How much farther can humans travel?

To me the concept of human spacetravel is amazing, yet up until this point i had never really given it much thought. I realized that this was my chance to really analyse the siuation to decide for myself how likely this event would be.

Captain's Log: Golden Rules

Here is a list of certain rules that I must abide by in order to progress efficiently on my quest:

• Make sure you review all the actions you make, and post on the blog regularly
• Stay in contact with your supervisor
• Don't leave it until the last minute, do the research!
• Keep track of dates
• Don't overcomplicate
• Don't panic!

Captain's Log: It begins

Throughout the course of the upcoming year, it is my objective to identify and research into possible human exploration and colonization of mars. I plan to analyse and research into the engineering feat required, the cost and strain on the economy, and also the biological impact on any individuals who would embark on the journey and therefore the necessary medical precautions to help them survive.
This blog is to be a document of my progress as I move forward in my assignment.