European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Allure of Mars grows As . Seeks new National goals by John Noble Wilford new York times Omentum is building in Tho space Agency and among science and autos face leaders Loni Kowars Honc  american civilian space Progi Arri. Pioppo Nants Hopo to explore Mars with idiots and then Send astr Nauls on Iho Virfil human Visil to anole i Pinnol expeditions to Mars Are being  As a Means of re Asci or or Iho nation s leadership in space and giving a new sense of Diro Clion to Iho National Aero Paulics and space administration which is still reeling from the destruction of Tho space Shullo challenger in january 1086. The Mars initiative is expo led to be Tho Contra Clemonl in policy re Commonda Irons Nasa will Mace in Iho next few months. Ii the plan wins support from the administration and Tho Public in could set in motion a concerted drive to explore Mars in the next two decades the soviet Union has already made a Commil Mcnol to a vigorous Mars exploration program beginning with an unmanned Mission next year As the first in a sequence Al lights int could prepare Lor a manned expedition la the Mailian outpace. Tho proposal faces Many he idles and enthusiasm is not Universal. Beyond the budgetary concern Over anole ice Ramilli Billon Dollar project the Mars program is being considered at the same Lime another major project Tho orbiting space station has become mired in controversy Over Cost and goals. The space Lalion would probably play a key Rote As an Assembly Point in any manned Mission to Mars. As envisioned the robotic exploration of Mars in the 1990s would Cost up to $10 billion. No one has even tried to put a Price lag on the proposed manned landings. For Many the adventure and inspiration of such landings would be justification. But critics question whether pulling people on Mars is Worth the enormous Cost and risk. Unmanned projects can yield the same scientific payrolls at a far lower Price they say. Still to american and soviet scientists alike the lure of Mars seems irresistible. As the neighbouring planet most like Earth Mars has touchdown on Mars a manned return to Mars might employ a Large capsule that would be launched from Earth orbit on a Multi stage Craft assembled in space. A Parachute and groups of Small rocket engines would slow the capsule Lor a Landing. A by Tim a global mosaic Wolmart assembled from 1,500 satellite television pictures. Inspired visions and fears of extraterrestrial beings. American spacecraft in the 1970s Lound no sign of life there but did discover that of All Tho nearby planets Mars had conditions most hospitable to human habitation. Planetary scientists were eager to follow up on this exploration but the space Agency was concentrating on development of the shuttle anal there were no funds available. The soviet Union after several unsuccessful efforts to explore Mars was concentrating on Venus. Now things have changed. Mars has suddenly become a very interesting place to Allol  James c. Fletcher the Nasa administrator said in an interview an Independent Nasa advisory Council said in mid machines for unmanned exploration. A one proposal envisions a spacecraft that sits pc on the planet s surface gathering and storing samples when its Job is done the Craft a rockets launch to Back toward Earth. A highly Mobile Rover might be transported to Mars inside the Lander. It would be armed with a Drill that could Pierce layers beneath the surface to take samples. It would have the ability to Analyse samples and pick end choose among them to avoid duplication. The Sample return Rover Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday april 25. 19b7