There seems to be a large amount of overlap between people who say things like “It’s hubris to think that humans can change the atmosphere of the earth enough to make a noticeable difference in 400 years” and “we can make Mars inhabitable by humans in 50 years”
In order to colonize mars, having a good space station in orbit would help out immensely. We’re talking big enough to stretch out and hold a few hundred people.
The station would need to grow crops and have minor but flexible manufacturing.
At that point, why would you colonize mars vs just make more stations?
For real, resource extraction is a big one. Finding ice means they can make, besides water, oxygen and rocket fuel. Not to mention that shelters for radiation are incredibly hard to make without a huge amount of mass, which we cannot efficiently get into orbit without a space elevator. Hence being able to extract it from the location of the colony, say dig into the ground or build thick walls with bricks made from soil, is necessary for long term survival of the inhabitants. I think it is cool that due to these reasons having air balloons over Venus might even be a better option due to it having a protective atmosphere.
You can make a radiation field by running a large motor that would save you from the solar radiation.
In space you always have access to the sun. A cheap form of power. You need a lot more batteries if you’re on the planet.
Didn’t know that it was feasible to create a radiation field by running a large motor. Not that I doubt you, but if you have a source I would be very happy to read more about it.
I heard about it on one of Isaac Arthur’s videos. I can’t remember which one, but the analogy he used was that earth’s magnetosphere is essentially a big motor created by earth’s metal core spinning. (Oversimplified) So you should be able to build a motor that would shield a station
Right now, even with water recycling systems, we still have to ship water to the ISS. A planet or moon also offers way more radiation protection by tunneling underground than any spacecraft at this time could provide.
I’d say we go for Deimos and Phobos first and set up mining operations there before spreading to the Martian surface. Their super-low gravity will make shipping materials easier. They essentially are natural space stations, just add infrastructure.
It’s not about prime real estate, it’s about increasing the redundancy of humanity’s survival. Two planets are better than one.
There seems to be a large amount of overlap between people who say things like “It’s hubris to think that humans can change the atmosphere of the earth enough to make a noticeable difference in 400 years” and “we can make Mars inhabitable by humans in 50 years”
What the fuck, no there isn’t. Are you actually implying most people that are interested in a mars colony are climate change deniers?
More the other way around, I know a surprising amount of climate change deniers that think we need to colonize Mars to save the human race.
I’m not trying to say it can’t or it shouldn’t be done, but it has to be both. We have to find a way to live sustainably and also expand.
That seems to be exactly what they’re implying.
It’s also not about Terraforming! That’s a goal for a few thousand years down the line. For now, just spreading out our habitats is a good idea.
In order to colonize mars, having a good space station in orbit would help out immensely. We’re talking big enough to stretch out and hold a few hundred people.
The station would need to grow crops and have minor but flexible manufacturing.
At that point, why would you colonize mars vs just make more stations?
For real, resource extraction is a big one. Finding ice means they can make, besides water, oxygen and rocket fuel. Not to mention that shelters for radiation are incredibly hard to make without a huge amount of mass, which we cannot efficiently get into orbit without a space elevator. Hence being able to extract it from the location of the colony, say dig into the ground or build thick walls with bricks made from soil, is necessary for long term survival of the inhabitants. I think it is cool that due to these reasons having air balloons over Venus might even be a better option due to it having a protective atmosphere.
You can make a radiation field by running a large motor that would save you from the solar radiation.
In space you always have access to the sun. A cheap form of power. You need a lot more batteries if you’re on the planet.
Venus is a much better idea over mars.
Didn’t know that it was feasible to create a radiation field by running a large motor. Not that I doubt you, but if you have a source I would be very happy to read more about it.
I heard about it on one of Isaac Arthur’s videos. I can’t remember which one, but the analogy he used was that earth’s magnetosphere is essentially a big motor created by earth’s metal core spinning. (Oversimplified) So you should be able to build a motor that would shield a station
Right now, even with water recycling systems, we still have to ship water to the ISS. A planet or moon also offers way more radiation protection by tunneling underground than any spacecraft at this time could provide.
I’d say we go for Deimos and Phobos first and set up mining operations there before spreading to the Martian surface. Their super-low gravity will make shipping materials easier. They essentially are natural space stations, just add infrastructure.
Mining is a big reason. And radiation shielding, as others have said.
Space colonies are cool but we’re nowhere close to being able to make a self-sustaining colony
Who cares about human survival without Earth?
Doesn’t sound like a life to me
While I fundamentally agree, it’s inevitable that Earth and Mars would go to war in that scenario.