Kerbal to Mars: Put a Kerbal on a real rover!

[vger]

Hey, we have the "Revert to Editor" button for a reason, you know.

The number of times I've had to do that because I forgot to load a tourist...

[_Augustus_]

This seems way to ambitious

[speaking about making a metal Kerbal]

We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better, stronger, faster.

No, seriously. We have between 5 months and 5 years. I think that we can at least get a Kerbal on a Mars flyby trajectory.

[vger]

No, seriously. We have between 5 months and 5 years. I think that we can at least get a Kerbal on a Mars flyby trajectory.

I'd settle for someone sticking one on a weather balloon payload with a camcorder though.

[_Augustus_]

I'd settle for someone sticking one on a weather balloon payload with a camcorder though.

Or a Kerbal on the ISS.

But still, going to Mars would be cooler and is just as hard.

[Spacetraindriver]

Why not the one from Shapeways...?

[vger]

Why not the one from Shapeways...?

I asked that before and something was said about non-metal being unable to withstand space travel. I don't really see why though. However, once it got to Mars, the dust storms would probably erode it pretty quick.

[_Augustus_]

I asked that before and something was said about non-metal being unable to withstand space travel. I don't really see why though. However, once it got to Mars, the dust storms would probably erode it pretty quick.

No, it's not just dust storms. Just being in space requires that whatever you're bringing is space-grade, aka metal most of the time.

If we put the Kerbal in a sealed pressurized Mk1 capsule, it could be just a Shapeways Kerbal. But if we want it to experience the vacuum of space and the atmosphere of Mars, then we must make it metal.

Don't forget that unmanned interplanetary rocket launches are different from ISS missions. That Buzz Lightyear toy that spent 1.5 years on the ISS would probably crack if it was launched on Curiosity's Atlas V simply due to the acceleration.

[Nibb31]

1Kg is totally unfeasible. Scientists fight to get an extra gram for their experiments, they're not going to carry 1kg all the way to Mars.

The best you can get is an SD card with KSP on it, or some sort of Easter Egg engraved somewhere on the rover, but you will never get NASA to accept to add extra mass.

[Yukon0009]

Hey doing this on the ISS is a LOT fore feasible, and it could be a larger payload too. IIRC the Soyuz astronauts know the're in space by dangling a stuffed toy around, replace stuffed toy with a plush Kerbal, and you're set.

Although, if anyone manages to get a Kerbal toy to space I'll be mighty impressed regardless where it's headed.

- - - Updated - - -

Also thought of something. What if other space game communities see us launching a Kerbal to space and immediately start launching their game characters to space as well?

then again, that's assuming we get the damn thing to space in first place

[FungusForge]

This would screw with aliens so very much.

[Specialist290]

I'm having mixed feelings on this. Who is the world going to blame if the probe crashes?

But seriously, I'd love the idea of a kerbonaut making it to another planet in the real world.

[GoSlash27]

You know...

NASA is a government agency, not a for- profit enterprise.

They will not put an unnecessary payload on an exploratory mission just because you want it there, even if you can pay for it.

*BUT*...

If it's for educational purposes and has enough political backing, they will not only do it, but they'll do it for free.

If this were done as part of an initiative to promote STEM education in America with the backing of a few key senators and congressmen, it could be done without raising any money at all.

Best,

-Slashy

[boosters1]

I think its a Good Idea i thinking of a speech that could be put with it "Kerbal Space Program the game that helped make The Martian GENERATION"

[boosters1]

Its a good Idea Maybe it should have a speech from the KSP Community on it, something like this "Kerbal Space Program the game that help Inspired the Martian Generation:

It works my 9 year old brother wants to go to Mars now

[MrWalrus123]

it doesn't have to be physical object...

it could be engraved into the inside of the probe itself... they did that on the ISS with the space core from portal 2

[vger]

it doesn't have to be physical object...

it could be engraved into the inside of the probe itself... they did that on the ISS with the space core from portal 2

Ooh, engraving?

How about graffiti? Use the laser and carve the first Martian cave painting.

[Findthepin1]

This idea is Findthepin1 Approved . There's your political backing.

[Tex_NL]

Anything over a few grams, forget about it. No really, forget it. Not gonna happen unless you bring a big bag of cash. An engraving or decal? A very tiny maybe.

Getting a Kerbal pluche (as fugly as those darn things may be) to the ISS is much more feasible. Getting one there through 'official' channels is unlikely. But one of the astronauts might be a KSP fan and willing to bring one in their personal luggage.

[RainDreamer]

Can we buy time on an active rover? rent curiousity for a few days, let it drill an image of the kerbal on mars. XD

[_Augustus_]

Can we buy time on an active rover? rent curiousity for a few days, let it drill an image of the kerbal on mars. XD

Would it really take days?

Also that would be expensive.

[cubinator]

Don't worry, when I go to Mars I'll bring one myself.

Also, people are comparing the cost of it to the cost of cubesats, etc. but satellites have expensive pieces of technology whereas a metal Kerbal would be better off compared to a 3-inch piece of hull than a 3-inch high tech science experiment.

Edited October 13, 2015 by cubinator

[TheSpaceManiac]

Of course a metal Kerbal is not really scientifically necessary for any mission, but on the Juno mission to Jupiter 3 small aluminum Lego figures (representing Galileo, and the gods Jupiter and Juno) were placed on the spacecraft, along with a plaque dedicated to Galileo, so perhaps a single small Kerbal figurine could be placed onto the Exomars orbiter...