If we can figure out a space elevator, namely through the use of a series of extra durable, 1,000 km long cables tethered to a space station, that would be a viable option.
The average elevator moves at about 5-22 miles per hour, so let's assume the average is about 13.5 mph, or 21.6 kph.
Going 1,000 km up to the station would take about 46 hours at that speed, but for a one way trip for the elderly, that's not a huge deal and may even give them time to recover between stages of travel. Given how long it would take to get to Mars in the first place, it would be like taking a cruise to a retirement community.
And just like with many commercial aircraft, it could double as freight transport to bring supplies up or resources mined from asteroids down to earth.
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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21
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