The Martian Race

The Martian Race (1999) is a SF novel about the race for the Mars Prize. When NASA submitted a budget of 450 billion dollars to go to Mars, Congress suffered from sticker shock and turned down the project. Instead, the United States and other Western countries offered a prize of 30 billion dollars for the first voyage that accomplished specified goals. NASA continued to prepare for a voyage to Mars in 2016, but used the Mars Direct model instead of the previous boondoggle version. Step by step, NASA built and tested their equipment. They sent an Earth Return Vehicle to Mars to manufacture methane for the return voyage. But their launch of an orbital vehicle to test the centrifugal force idea was a spectacular failure, destroying the equipment and killing the crew. Congress canceled the NASA Mars program. Still, a private Consortium was set up by billionaire John Axelrod to win the Mars Prize. The Consortium started hiring ex-NASA astronauts and buying surplus NASA equipment. But they downsized the mission to four astronauts instead of the previous six crewmembers. In this novel, Julia, Viktor, Marc and Raoul survive the six month trip and aerobraking to land in Gusev crater. Shaped like a tuna can, the two-story habitat is a strange landing vehicle, but adequate living quarters. They have brought a pressurized rover, but also convert the two onsite vehicles to manual control. Raoul spends most of his time repairing the ERV, which had landed with enough lateral vector to damage the engine pipes. The peroxide dust and the extreme changes in temperature at the surface have also damaged the ERV components. Although he is able to replace and refit many parts, Raoul doesn't have the tools to do as much as he wishes. The first test results in even more damage. He needs more tools; in fact, he really needs a replacement ERV. The scientific program continues concurrently with the ERV repairs. Marc explores the surrounding terrain and sets off seismic charges to map the subsurface. They find evidence of surface water, underground caverns, and billion year old bacterial fossils. As they approaching the end of their stay on the Red Planet, Julia and Viktor discover a venting sinkhole. When they approach it and prepare to descend, they find moisture and water ice. Julia gets a sample off the lip of the hole, but then Viktor slips on the ice and sprains his ankle; he has to be taken back to the hab immediately. Julia checks her samples in the lab and finds organic residue. Although ruptured by the cold and lower pressure, this residue may have been cellular remains. Unfortunately, the men are focused on the ERV repairs and will not let her return to the vent for more exploration. This novel depicts the political intrigues surrounding the first manned flight to Mars. Scientific research is peripheral to the political aspects. When Julia confirms the biological origins of her samples, she is told to keep silent about her discoveri

This is "hard sci fi," just as I like it. The title refers to a race to Mars, not a race of Martians (although it comes close to that, too). It's as much an example of "how to" on the cheap as it is a story. Benford is down on NASA (or the Federal government, or both), postulating a competition to Mars with a huge purse ($30 billion) as the way to get a human expedition there. That might be what it takes. Yet it's also a call for cooperation rather than competition. He shows the downside of human nature -- competitiveness, going for the gold, the potential for a breakdown of discipline in difficult situations. He advocates nuclear propulsion systems for planetary exploration, rather than today's chemical systems. He stresses how difficult planetary exploration will be -- especially the early stages, when improvisation and self-sufficiency are critical and thereby makes a case for on-the-spot decision-making rather than relying on orders from Mission Control. He also looks forward to life (past or present) on Mars. He was very creative in his depiction of what it could be like. In fact, this novel once again demonstrates to me the limitations of my creative abilities. Maybe I'm just intimidated, but I can't imagine writing a novel this well put together, this imaginative yet full of sophisticated technical detail. Heck, I wonder if I could even come up with a good idea for a "beginning, middle, and end." At any rate, it was an excellent adventure story, notwithstanding the fact that the end was predictable two-thirds of the way into the book. Benford put his lead characters through so many troubles (it actually got depressing at one point) in order to show the extent of danger and difficulties he expects planetary explorers to face that he left them only one way out. Arguably, that aspect of it could have been better written. And the way the threads came together in the end just fit too well. Still, I enjoyed it immensely.

Wow. This book is absolutely FANTASTIC. I can honestly say this is my favorite Mars book, and one of my all time favorite books ever. Its even better than Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars trilogy. It is an excellent story. It is both exciting and suspenseful. The scientific and technical details are very good. There is plenty of adventure on Mars. I enjoyed the "Marsmat" creature/plant thing. It was perhaps the most original and creative idea I have seen about Martian life yet. The book gets really susepenseful when mysterious Airbus mission gets nearer and finally lands. The ending is a surprise. You cant tell who is going to win. The characters are great as well. I also really liked the Mars Prize idea, and I thought the brief appearance by Robert Zubrin was pretty cool. If your into Mars, as I am, you will definetely like this book.

First a disclaimer: I'm an unrepentant Gregory Benford fan. But in a sci-fi world increasingly dominated by Star Wars and dragons, I think any lover of hard-science fiction will enjoy this novel. The fact that it is based on technology from Robert Zubrin's 'Mars Direct' program is icing on the cake. This really *could* happen.It's a great read, and I recommend it highly.

This is the real, hard stuff--an informed look at how we might go to Mars, for the very best reasons, both scientific and personal. Better than the Robinson because it's about what we can do NOW, not political dreams. A great read, fast pace, real characters.