Future possibilities

Once the ITS, the IHS, the moon base, and its fleet of robots, are in place there are other options for space travel and exploration that become availble. Somebody pointed out to me that, building a base on Mars would be easier then on the moon, and it would also be easier for human setlement.

So I thaught of reusing the concept of the ITS but this time in an orbit around Mars. Possibly even a version of the IHS. The adavantage would be that there would be a permanent expandable station in an orbit around Mars. Lets called it the ITS II. It could have a space dock and space storage space as well. It could keep an more elaborate version of the Tachnoaut, and that would mean there would always be a rescue space craft availble. Also it would let people feel less alone, if they would know there is a permanent station up there. Because the ITS at a lagrange point would be already be ready, the Mars exploration ship might be a lot bigger, then what we can send now. Rahter than sending the modules seperatly they can now be sent together.

This craft could be a Tachonaut II (next generation). It could include the materials needed for constructing a reusable base, robotic mining colony landers, the modules for the ITS II, possibly modules for an IHS II, orbitter satelites and the like, plus material to extract fuel, air and water, and perhaps some lander craft for moon, or for further exploration of the solar system. Tachonauts in all versions, would be like giant taxi's.

The advantage of using a Tachonaut II (generation II) is that it can bring a whole haul of cargo and goods with it, rather than sending it all seperatley. It is a pity Mir burned up in the atomosphere, because otherwise parts of it might have been reused, for e.g. the ITS. A Tachonaut II could bring things to Mars and then fly on to Jupiter. Because the moon base would already exist, materials made on the moon and in space, could be used for its construction.

Mir is gone, but in the years to come several cargopods for the ISS will be launched by the ESA. Once they are filled whith waste of the ISS they will be detached and be lowered so they burn up in the atomosphere. But as they contain storage space, they could be reconnected to the ISS at around the same space where the rescue craft will hang. Also four of them could be connected to a node piece, that would be connected to a transport ship. Or it could also be done so that 3 are connected ot such anode, then 6 of them could be used, and one could be attached somewhere else.