Don't go to Mars with NASA!!!

NASA Challenge: Space Pioneering – Achieving Earth Independence

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Okay so the challenge was how to achieve independence from Earth for Mars colonists. I didn't expect to win but I was taken back by their response. Here is my response to their response. The response i got back was a form letter. Blah blah blah!!!

So no, I would not go to Mars with people with this point of view. Here is my proposal!
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My concept of virtual reality for the feet was rejected for the following reason.

"While this concept may be useful for mitigating some of the effects of microgravity, it is unclear if it has any effect on other parts of the body besides the feet."

What drives me crazy is that it is clear that pressure to the feet have a profound effect on other parts of the body.

Your belief if I am correct is that the feet are isolated from other parts of the body and not truly integrated with the systems of the body like the nervous system.

So what you are saying is that pressure to the feet (proprioception) has no other effect on other parts of the body like the vestibular apparatus, the postural muscles, the internal organs ( fuel and oxygen to make locomotion possible) and the brain. 

Am I correct that this is what the Seeker believes? In other words the feet play a very limited role in the nervous system kind of like wheels on a cart. 

The feet are inert and not really interactive with the locomotive system or survival mechanism or metabolism or even as a contributor to human thought.

 Also that pressure to the feet doesn't cause an increase in blood flow to the brain. Walking is not really necessary for blood perfusion to the brain. 

If you don't stimulate the proprioception in the feet you may face the cascading effects of metabolic disorders such as heart problems, lung problems, Alzheimer's, cognitive decline, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. How will you treat these on Mars? 

Furthermore a lack of stimulation to the feet mean a lack of tone in the postural muscles. Musclo-skeletal problems are sure to follow. Weight gain and waistline expansion are probables. 

I am just puzzled how you can have such a view of proprioception. It is not just microgravity in the space flight to Mars but also the diminished gravity on Mars that could cause chaos in a number of systems. 

I am sorry but I have to say I can't understand the grounds on which this proposal was rejected. I don't care about winning. 

Yours truly, 

Kevin Kunz

Here is my proposal. Not perfect because i did it in a hurry but not bad.