studentsof physics, meteorology, geology, and energy policy

1. Why don't observations show the 'HotSpot' in the tropical atmosphere predicted by climate models?2. Why has the climate not warmed in more than 10 years --contrary to all models?3. CO2 isa greenhouse gas and rising rapidly. Why don't we see its climate effects?4. What does all this mean for climate and energy policy?

 Appeal to:

students of space research, astronomy, and rocket technology

Three initial steps of increasing technical difficulty in human exploration of Mars:

1. Unmanned .slingshot.to check out trajectory and propulsion maneuvers, includingre-entry into Earth atmosphere. Duration ~500 days. Modest scientific returns.

2. Manned .slingshot.(2 astronauts) to check out habitat, life support systems, radiation shielding, robotic rover with sample returns from Mars, Phobos and Deimos. Low cost.

3.Phobos-DeimosMission (5 astronauts ~500 days), with base lab and nuclear reactor power on Deimos. Sortie to Phobos. Full complement of rovers and sample returns to Deimos lab. Major scientific returns, yet moderate cost.

Note that, landing on the planet Mars is not one of these, too difficult and risky,too costly; and not worth it. A Moon base is a detour.

  S. Fred Singer is professor emeritus at the University of Virginia and director of the Science & Environmental Policy Project. His specialty is atmospheric and space physics. An expert in remote sensing and satellites, he served as the founding director of the US Weather Satellite Service and, more recently, as vice chair of the US National Advisory Committee on Oceans & Atmosphere.He is a Senior Fellow of the Heartland Institute andthe Independent Institute.He co-authored the NY Times best-seller "Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1500 years."In 2007, he founded and has since chaired the NIPCC (Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change), which has released several scientific reports.