18. In the future, if it takes months to reach our destination, it may not be efficient or convenient to stay a short time. How long will it be between transportation arrivals and departures and space plane availability to go back home? (A K2S Question)
From The Space Library
If there is a permanent manned base at a great distance from Earth— on Mars, for example—the spacecraft traffic will be determined by the requirement for supplies—at least until the base could become self-sufficient by mining materials from the planet's atmosphere and surface (although this is not an option for bases in orbit). In the initial stages it would be months between visits, as there would be a limitation on the amount of supplies one ship could carry. In the future, visits to a distant base would be decided, among other things, by the number of vehicles available, the capacity for carrying supplies, the time it takes to get there and the demand for transportation. If it is a popular destination, such as above the rings of Saturn, there would be a large demand for journeys. An old, dated Mars base may not be as attractive a place to visit!
Answer provided by Hazel McAndrews
Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer
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