To Mars by Way of Its Moons

Phobos and Deimos would make ideal staging areas

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

00

S. FRED SINGER is director of the Science and Environmental Policy Project in Fairfax, Va., and professor at George Mason University. A pioneer in the use of rockets (captured German V-2s) to investigate the upper atmosphere and near-Earth space, he was the first director of the National Weather Satellite Center. He devised the cosmic-ray method of dating meteorites and was among the first to study the origin and evolution of the Martian moons.

More by S. Fred Singer
Scientific American Magazine Vol 282 Issue 3This article was published with the title “To Mars by Way of Its Moons” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 282 No. 3 ()
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican032000-1WxhLapCaKOuLRUxf2BLtw

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe