To the Moon or Mars

[Aurielius]

Terra forming Mars has been considered by NASA, this an excerpt of one of the studies

 

 

Christopher P. McKay. NASA Ames Research Center.

"In fact computational studies utilizing climate models suggest that it could be possible to make Mars habitable again with foreseeable technology. The essence of the situation is that while Mars' CO2 atmosphere has only about 1% the pressure of the Earth's at sea level, it is believed that there are reserves of CO2 frozen in the south polar cap and adsorbed within the soil sufficient to thicken the atmosphere to the point where its pressure would be about 30% that of Earth. The way to get this gas to emerge is to heat the planet, and in fact, the warming and cooling of Mars that occurs each Martian year as the planet cycles between its nearest and furthest positions from the Sun in its slightly elliptical orbit cause the atmospheric pressure on Mars to vary by plus or minus 25% compared to its average value on a seasonal basis.

We can not, of course, move Mars to a warmer orbit. However we do know another way to heat a planet, through an artificially induced greenhouse effect that traps the Sun's heat within the atmosphere. Such an atmospheric greenhouse could be created on Mars in at least three different ways. One way would be to set up factories on Mars to produce very powerful artificial greenhouse gasses such as halocarbons ("CFC's") and release them into the atmosphere. Another way would be to use orbital mirrors or other large scale power sources to warm selected areas of the planet, such as the south polar cap, to release large reservoirs of the native greenhouse gas, CO2, which may be trapped their in frozen or adsorbed form. Finally natural greenhouse gases more powerful than CO2 (but much less so than halocarbons) such as ammonia or methane could be imported to Mars in large quantities if asteroidal objects rich with such volatiles in frozen form should prove to exist in the outer solar system.

Each of these methods of planetary warming would be enhanced by large amounts of CO2 from polar cap and the soil that would be released as a result of the induced temperature rise. This CO2 would add massively to the greenhouse effect being created directly, speeding and multiplying the warming process.

The Mars atmosphere/regolith greenhouse effect system is thus one with a built-in positive feedback. The warmer it gets, the thicker the atmosphere becomes; and the thicker the atmosphere becomes the warmer it gets. A method of modeling this system and the results of calculations based upon it are given in the sections below."

 

If you do not let your imagination exceed your grasp then you are doomed to stagnate, nothing truly valuable is easy or simple to achieve.

[Maharg67]

I have found many other people's posts in this topic to be informative and thought provoking. Excellent!

 

Just floating some ideas!

 

One idea for choosing the moon first is I would like to see the construction of some kind of technological system to detect and deal with any big meteor coming our way. Problem is, since such a system might be turned against the Earth, who would be trust to be in control of it?

 

Rich people's tourism or world wide lottery winner tourism? Both might help but the first would brand moon colonisation early on with elitism and the second could easily turn into a public relations nightmare if civilian lottery winners were killed. Like the teacher who died in one of the Shuttles blew up so that NASA had to terminate that program.

 

Economic solutions to space colonisation are as important to find as are technological ones since it's the economics that so often drive so much else on this world of ours.

Edited April 17, 2010 by Maharg67

[hoshi23]

I like space, but what do you want on mars or the moon, if you do not even have a real plan and hardly can manage below. All in good time id say. All in good time.

[Surenas]

What about re-terraforming Terra? Should be cheaper, more effective and doesn't lead astray, away from the actual problems. Chinese on the Moon are as good as a burger restaurant on Mars - totally useless humbug.

[Maharg67]

When I speak of going to the moon to create colonies, science stations, observatories, mining facilities, power stations etc. I am talking of a plan.

 

But more importantly I think that for every dollar spent on the moon, at least a thousand dollars should be spent on fixing up the Earth and ending poverty, etc.

 

Supporting one idea does not automatically mean that I am against the other.

[Aurielius]

What about re-terraforming Terra? Should be cheaper, more effective and doesn't lead astray, away from the actual problems. Chinese on the Moon are as good as a burger restaurant on Mars - totally useless humbug.

@Surenas

I am sure that in the early 1500's the same point of view was put forward about the extraneous value of the New World. The urge to explore has been with us since neolithic times otherwise we as a species would not have spread across the planet.

I am not sure what "Chinese on the Moon..." means at all, the idiom must lose something in translation. I'll assume that you mean it's a waste of time. Have you considered the benefits of the several space programs have yielded to the general population in terms of new technology? Complex problems lead to innovative solutions which in turn lead to new economic opportunites. It's a big universe, we have to start somewhere.

[hoshi23]

Cool.

[Surenas]

Cool.

I'd hardly expect a 'Chinese man in the Moon'.

Teflon is btw not the product of a voyage to the moon, but the consequent use of an earlier discovery from 1938 for a successful reentry into the atmosphere, thus reflecting orbital aerospace.

Though I guess since Amstrong' s Hollywood-style step the age of expensive manned long range space exploration (the modern conquista for the sake of a national or political glory) is over, the time of crisis management at home has come - this includes the orbit and will consume all our financial and technological capabilities.

You won't find any drinking water within range in space to satisfy the thirst of mankind. The threatening empty teflon-coated cup is awaiting us ...

[Chaosblade02]

I think it would be wise to get a base established on the Moon. It is known that the Moon is resource rich in many metals and materials that are somewhat rare and very expensive on Earth. If America is the first to establish a large presence on the Moon, then that pretty much means we own it. As well as any resources that can be mined there. Any other countries or even corporations would have to deal directly with us if they are to mine or visit the Moon. I understand that from orbital surveys of the Moon that they believe Titanium is very rich on the moon, which could be used to build spacecraft. It would be much easier to launch spacecraft from the moon to go to Mars than to launch one from earth. A cost effective way to get people and resources to and from the Moon would have to be in place before any of this could be possible. I will leave that for people smarter than me to figure out, but I know its possible to do in the near future.

 

Its likely in the distant future that wars will be fought over resources on the Moon and other planets. Considering mankind's past, that is very likely. And we may as well get established first and get the advantage.

[hoshi23]

Cool.

I'd hardly expect a 'Chinese man in the Moon'.

Teflon is btw not the product of a voyage to the moon, but the consequent use of an earlier discovery from 1938 for a successful reentry into the atmosphere, thus reflecting orbital aerospace.

Though I guess since Amstrong' s Hollywood-style step the age of expensive manned long range space exploration (the modern conquista for the sake of a national or political glory) is over, the time of crisis management at home has come - this includes the orbit and will consume all our financial and technological capabilities.

You won't find any drinking water within range in space to satisfy the thirst of mankind. The threatening empty teflon-coated cup is awaiting us ...

 

Hehe. Basicly i was just answering Mahargs comment above.

 

Anyway i agree. Open your heart.

Mix with the wise.