We're almost ready to go prime time. This image depicts the "core spacecraft" as it would leave from Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Propelled by a nuclear-ion propulsion system, it would spiral out from LEO to an Earth-Mars cycler orbit. Once on-oribt, waves of colonists would later rendevous with the core spacecraft and slowly outfit it with a greater habitable volume (initially it would be little better than a long empty can with a basic life support system). \

The linked image is an experiment. I had to tweek it a bit with Gimp in order to depixelize it, etc. Please tell me how it works. Once I'm past this milestone, I'll present the whole Mars colonization concept over at HabitableZone Space Science.

Gary