Mars Colony Heavy Lift Nuclear SSTO The Mars terraforming program would require numerous launches to Mars orbit per crewed mission. Callisto bound vehicles would be launched with a minimum-to-orbit fuel load plus the delivery payload vehicle. Final vehicle fuel loading and configuration would take place at orbit prior to departure. This requires a capability to both launch and return heavy payloads to the Martian surface. My design inspiration for this large scale launcher came from several sources: In terms of launch capability I used the Convair Super Nexus, and Anthony Tate’s “Liberty Ship” as my standard of reference. Gas Core Nuclear Light Bulb performance data adjusted for operations in a Mars gravitational field (via my back-of-the envelope calculation) yields a launch and return payload capacity of about 5.4 million lbs launch and soft-landing. In terms of physical vehicle characteristics I used the NASA manned fly-back Booster design as my reference -- omitting the mid-body wing – it would serve no purpose in Mars’s pre-terraformed atmosphere. Design Source Links: Link: Nexus Gas Core Nukes Link: Largest Launch Vehicle EVAR Link: NASA Fly Back Booster Link: Anthony Tate’s Liberty Ship LinK: My Renderosity Liberty Ship Post The resulting launch vehicle stands 460 feet tall and 80 Feet in diameter. It is launched vertically, powered by eight gas core nuclear light bulb engines (with a ninth engine held in reserve). Descent to surface takes advantage of aero-braking and powered return flight to a controlled rolling touch-down at the launch facility of origin. All models are my own, models constructed in Bryce 6.5 and rendered in Bryce 7 Pro. Background Mars textures use NASA rover imagery applied as surface textures. As always thank you for your interest, thoughtful comments, and encouragement.