Posted on 05/14/2013 6:32:36 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Mars in particular is a key target for future human planetary adventures even though on the face of it, it seems so hostile to human life. In fact Mars actually has the most clement environment of any planet in the Solar System outside of Earth and is known to have all of the resources necessary in some accessible form, to sustain life on the surface. So how might we survive on Mars? The crucial things for humans on Mars are the availability of oxygen, shelter, food and water, and not just endless consumables delivered to the planet from Earth. For humans to live long-term on Mars, they will need a self-sustaining habitat to be able to thrive in for generations.
In short, theyll need a garden. And maybe a robot, too.
Any garden on Mars would need protection in the form of a greenhouse or geodesic dome that could keep the vegetables, fruits, grains and flowers sheltered from the extreme UV radiation that floods the Martian surface, whilst still allowing enough sunlight through to allow them to grow. This dome would also have to be strong enough to provide support and protection against potentially devastating Martian dust storms.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
Why have I seen these creatures in my Dreams?!
I think we should investigate colonizing Altair IV. The climate seems nice and there is a really hot chick living there.
Mars isnt that different from parts of the southwest.
I bet if you sprinkled out the right mix of weeds, mesquite, and dandylion seed, those things would take hold and wouldn’t need any dome. Inside of a few years, the whole damned place would green up and create an atmosphere. Import a bunch of cattle and get them eating grass and farting,,,
Burn some mesquite to smoke some briskets, (making even more CO2,,
ANd before you know it, we could just expand Texas.
I think that will have to be made of unobtainum. We can't yet do 2mm single molecule diamond in the acre size.
/johnny
pics!
I think the real question is if Mars is even viable to live on, as it’s smaller than earth and cannot hold the same level of atmosphere. The most we might ever really be able to do with it is use it as a place for robots to build things.
I’ve read that there isn’t enough material in the asteroid belt to significantly increase Mar’s mass enough to be able to hold a thicker atmosphere.
IMO the only way to live anywhere in space is to build airtight underground caverns. Heinlein probably had it right in “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.”
/johnny
And we really should build a Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator pretty soon after we get there, just in case Obama kiddies start wanting to move up there and screw it up. The one Marvin the Martian had in that Bugs Bunny Cartoon.
Good subreference,,,
But domes are an environmentalist wacko favorite. Bunkers are for right wing extremists and frackers.
You can produce as much atmosphere as you want, but if the planet is too small to hold it, the atmosphere will just leak out into space.
I am not sure how to post pics except those I already have in my photobucket folder.
Her name was Altaira. Her Father named her for the planet. About the only company she had was Robby the Robot, that is until the flying saucer with a bunch of future well known actors arrived.
I was just out surveying my dandelion crop. I sprayed them with the 2-4-D on Sunday and they appear to have doubled in size in just two days. Thank goodness I didn’t give any to the morning glory.
Does the dirt on Mars contain the nutrients necessary for plant life to grow there? If not, can fertilizer be made from anything on Mars?
Over what amount of time? 2 weeks wouldn't be good, but 10K years... that I could live with (I will be sincerly dead by then).
Most models I've seen have had solar wind stripping atmosphere from Mars because it doesn't have a real magnetic field like a grown up planet.
/johnny
I think an inflatable dome over a crater is a good place to start.
Probably the easiest planet to live on aside from earth. Obviously we would be mostly underground. There is at least some atmosphere which will help. Plus the rovers are finding ambient surface radiation much lower than expected.
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