-Outline-

This is a plan to colonize mars and the moon and provide cheap travel between th
em,after building space infrastructure. First
we put a modular space station in an orbit around the earth, Then we take a reus
able spacecraft and dock with the station. After that we take
a take a shuttle using VASIMR technology/chemical propulsion to a second station
orbiting the moon. It depends if the nuclear technology required
to use VASIMR to its full potential is available or plausible to build at that t
ime. Then use an advanced lunar lander to get to the moons surface.
Once on the moon build factories to create more stations, colonies, and spacecra
ft as in the long run it's cheaper to launch things off of
the moon.
Eventually we would be able to build a interplanetary spacecraft able to ferry u
s to mars in only 39 days. This ship would be constructed
in lunar orbit, now because we can launch stuff off the moon for a very low cost
(1/6 gravity no air resistance) we can make this ship big enough
to be able to handle all the needs of a deep space craft. For example it would b
e able to ferry people and cargo to mars. This ship would eventually
be the main and maybe only spacecraft needed to traverse interplanetary space. T
hen we can reliably colonize the red planet after building the infastrure
required to make cheap reliable trips there possible. Also when we get to mars w
e will need to use a mars lander using chemical propulsion due to the fact
that VASIMR powered craft can only operate in space because they do not have sui
table thrust to escape a planet's or moon's gravity. Eventually we would have
space stations around mars aswell. We could use the plane piggyback system just
like the one we would use on earth. Now this is possible due to the fact that
one of this plans long term goals is the thermoforming of mars. This involves ra
ising the density and contents of mars atmosphere to be suitable for humans to s
urvive,
this would allow aircraft to be usable on mars.
Now the reason the moon is more cost effective in the long run, is that to colon
ize mars we need supplies carried
there. At 1/6 of earths gravity those launches over a long peroid of time would
make it far easier/cheaper. The main point
of this plan is to create a long term plan for the colonization of mars and even
tually the solar system. Now the biggest problem
is obviously funding. I think the best way to solve this problem is to have diff
erent companies work on separate parts of the plan,
but all of them are working twords the same goal. This way the funding required
would be divided among multiple parties making
the cost much more manageable.

-Vehicles and infrastructure-

Heavy lift rocket: Falcon9 heavy lift launch vehicle.
Interplanetary craft: Uses nuclear powered VASIMR engines and is able to ferry h
umans and cargo to mars/moon.
Moon station to lunar surface lander: Built by armadillo aerospace
Earth station to moon station shuttle: Nothing yet
Earth to LEO reusable spacecraft: Uses the plane piggyback system that the Space
ShipTwo/WhiteKnigtTwo Uses.
LEO space station:Uses BA 330 habitation modules for living space.
lunar orbit station: Uses BA 330 habitation modules for living space.
moon factories:
-Funding and partners-
Armadillo aerospace
1.Designs the reuseable lunar lander
Scaled Composites
1.Makes the Earth to LEO reusable spacecraft using a system similar to the space
ship 2/white knight 2.
2.Works with Ad astra rocket company to develop the Earth station to moon statio
n shuttle.
Ad astra rocket company
1.makes the VASIMR engines required to cheaply traverse interplanetary distance.
2.works with scaled composites to develop the Earth station to moon station stut
tle.
SpaceX
1.Takes the spacecraft and space stations into orbit using the falcon 9 heavy li
ft rocket.
-Pros and cons-
Bigelow aerospace
1.Makes BA 330 inflatable habitation modules used for living space on the space
stations.
Pros
1.Everything is reusable once the project is completed
2.Much cheaper in the long run.
3.It will allow reliable cheap travel to the moon and eventually mars.
4. The VASIMR shuttle only needs solar power and argon to function in earth to m
oon distances for
cargo trips
5.plan uses mostly technology that is already made or about to be made.
Cons
1.You need to develop new advanced nuclear technology to power the interplanetar
y ships.
-Misc-
Links:
VASIMR: http://www.adastrarocket.com/aarc/
Mars to stay: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_to_Stay
Scaled Composites: http://www.scaled.com/
SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com/
Ad astra rocket company: http://www.adastrarocket.com/aarc/
Bigelow aerospace: http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/