EDIT: Re: doubling the team. A crew of four can do the job, but the two-against-two possibility raises its ugly head here. With or without cutlery, there is real chance the internal strife may lead to actual fights. If you want to save money, and do not include a normal shower and enough water, you can almost guarantee loss of mission due to the disagreement who stinks more.
On the up side, each couple would have their own Hab and privacy on their off hours.
Each of the ladies could decorate their own Hab as they wish. :thumbup:
---------- Post added at 02:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 PM ----------
While my mind is on it, these would be the changes I would make to the mission steps for added safety.
First, send the ERV and the Crew Vehicle together and keep them in close proximity so if any problems arise during the Journey, the crew could do an in flight transfer to the ERV if necessary. The ERV would act as a life boat.
The 3rd launch would be the Mars Ascent Vehicle following the first two shortly after.
Once the Crew Vehicle reaches Mars it would do a skip entry in the atmosphere, enough to place it in Mars orbit.
The ERV would then also be placed in Mars orbit.
This allows the crew to have control over when precisely the landing will take place, to make sure the ERV has a successful orbital insertion, and place the Mars Ascent Vehicle on the surface before the crew lands.
Now comes the Mars Ascent Vehicle.
Mission control can remotely choose if to land it immediately or also do a skip entry in the atmosphere for orbital insertion if conditions are not favorable on the surface at this time.
Once the Mars Ascent Vehicle is on the surface and proved to be functional, the crew would land.
Once the Crew and the Mars Ascent Vehicle are both safely on the ground, the crew would be able to maintain and over see the Mars Ascent Vehicle as it charged up.
The oxygen could be made during the period the crew is on Mars using the chemical reactor.
I would also bring two chemical reactors, one in the Crew Vehicle and the one in the Mars Ascent Vehicle in case one failed and to insure the ascent to the ERV would take place.
This would eliminate the last 2 issues with this mission.
