Colonizing Mars

[hilariousandco]

Using boats to cross oceans and shuttles to cross the solar system are hardly a fair comparison in probably every way possible.

You do realize that we weren't developed at all back then? I mean our development rate has been very fast in the last 100 years.

Yeah, but it's not like they weren’t pretty proficient in sailing the seas. There's still a massive difference.

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[Lauda]

Yeah, but it's not like they weren’t pretty proficient in sailing the seas. There's still a massive difference.

They didn't know what awaited them in America did they? We know what we can expect on Mars (mostly), barrens.

[Reuben]

Yeah, but it's not like they weren’t pretty proficient in sailing the seas. There's still a massive difference.

They didn't know what awaited them in America did they? We know what we can expect on Mars (mostly), barrens.

Who knows what they'll encounter.

[hilariousandco]

Yeah, but it's not like they weren’t pretty proficient in sailing the seas. There's still a massive difference.

They didn't know what awaited them in America did they? We know what we can expect on Mars (mostly), barrens.

Who knows what they'll encounter.

Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars. I'm sure there's lots of problems they could encounter and might not foresee.

[Lauda]

Yeah, but it's not like they weren’t pretty proficient in sailing the seas. There's still a massive difference.

They didn't know what awaited them in America did they? We know what we can expect on Mars (mostly), barrens.

Who knows what they'll encounter.

I'm not saying that we know everything. I'm saying that we know most of it.
Isn't Curiosity up there right now?

[Fatpony]

That's a next step, but we need to develop technology that will allow us to create water from other elements on a large scale. With water we can create food and sustain large population. Terra forming will take decades if not centuries, so that's something I wont see in my lifetime.

[Lauda]

That's a next step, but we need to develop technology that will allow us to create water from other elements on a large scale. With water we can create food and sustain large population. Terra forming will take decades if not centuries, so that's something I wont see in my lifetime.

Yeah I don't expect it to be in my lifetime either though. You could freeze your body, and hope that cryogenics work. Revive in 500 years and enjoy life (if the Earth is still there).

[Hazir]

Currently we don't even have money to send crew to Mars. Estimates by some experts have put the price tag for a Mars trip in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Even if we could get there right now we must terraform it first because Mars is a geologically dead planet. While Mars has plenty of volcanoes and geological evidence that there was tectonic activity at some point in its history, that's not the case anymore. There is no air pressure to hold in water and Mars suffers from the lack of a magnetic field that would shield it from harmful solar winds. Any effort to process Mars into a livable planet (i.e. terraform) would have to take all these factors into account. Perhaps it would be possible to jumpstart the atmosphere by turning the carbon dioxide-rich air into oxygen much the way plants on Earth clean our air. But Mars still wouldn't have a magnetic field. Without a magnetic shield for protection, extreme waves of solar radiation strip away the Martian atmosphere, thus subjecting humans to lethal doses of radiation. Evidence suggests the polar ice caps have the remnants of a magnetic shield and are safe from the extreme solar radiation.

[dogechode]

Ultimately I would like to see humanity spread out and explore more of the universe; to me Mars is the first logical step. I am no so pessimistic about the future of our race; people saying we won't be around in a billion years kind of scare me frankly. Some day our sun is going to die and when that happens (actually long before it actually happens) we will need to move on unless we have found some way to stop it from happening.

I think there would be tons of benefits that we can't even think of right now, once we get up there and settle some humans on Mars. We have no idea what could be discovered there. They might have elements that we don't have. Solving some of the "challenges" could be beneficial to earth as well - if we managed to create a magnetic field to protect Mars from solar radiation, think about the other applications that could have.

[Lauda]

Ultimately I would like to see humanity spread out and explore more of the universe; to me Mars is the first logical step. I am no so pessimistic about the future of our race; people saying we won't be around in a billion years kind of scare me frankly. Some day our sun is going to die and when that happens (actually long before it actually happens) we will need to move on unless we have found some way to stop it from happening.

I think there would be tons of benefits that we can't even think of right now, once we get up there and settle some humans on Mars. We have no idea what could be discovered there. They might have elements that we don't have. Solving some of the "challenges" could be beneficial to earth as well - if we managed to create a magnetic field to protect Mars from solar radiation, think about the other applications that could have.

You can't really stop a sun from dying. We will more likely finally develop something like a warp drive and be able to get out of the star system.

[kuroman]

Currently we don't even have money to send crew to Mars. Estimates by some experts have put the price tag for a Mars trip in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Even if we could get there right now we must terraform it first because Mars is a geologically dead planet. While Mars has plenty of volcanoes and geological evidence that there was tectonic activity at some point in its history, that's not the case anymore. There is no air pressure to hold in water and Mars suffers from the lack of a magnetic field that would shield it from harmful solar winds. Any effort to process Mars into a livable planet (i.e. terraform) would have to take all these factors into account. Perhaps it would be possible to jumpstart the atmosphere by turning the carbon dioxide-rich air into oxygen much the way plants on Earth clean our air. But Mars still wouldn't have a magnetic field. Without a magnetic shield for protection, extreme waves of solar radiation strip away the Martian atmosphere, thus subjecting humans to lethal doses of radiation. Evidence suggests the polar ice caps have the remnants of a magnetic shield and are safe from the extreme solar radiation.

It doesn't cost hundreds of billions, they are realistic plans that could get a crew for a couple of billions divided on a decade or two of the program (so that's a couple of hundrends millions of budget a year), (example Dr Zubrin plan), which is nothing compared to the money spent on other useless things, example F22 Raptor, LCS ect ect, as for the in Mars problems and challenges I believe they were discussed in this or in another article, getting there and starting to do scientific research and setting bigger settlement is a start, terraforming is something for the far future, but everything should start with a step, and if we are too afraid to take that initiative it's not going to happen ever

[Vod]

We have no idea what could be discovered there. They might have elements that we don't have.

False.  Mars is made of the same "stuff" Earth is made up of.   The planets formed the same way, from the same materials.

[skarto]

Colonizing Mars.. okey, but way?

[dogechode]

We have no idea what could be discovered there. They might have elements that we don't have.

False.  Mars is made of the same "stuff" Earth is made up of.   The planets formed the same way, from the same materials.

I don't really think that can be conclusively proved until we get people up there and they take a whole shitload of samples, including those from drilling deep beneath the surface. A lot of theories like this end up being found to be not entirely true.

[GigaCoin]

I am a dreamer and would love to see a Mars colony in my lifetime and would love to actually go there and visi. I was beyond excited when Mars One was announced however I am increasingly sceptical about the project.

The main reason being is the budget. MarsOne has a budget of $4Billion up to 6$ billion Max. A budget that's just not enough. $4-$6 billion get you a light rail system for a small city on earth, we're talking here about transporting humans to Mars which is an extremely challenging task that requires huge amounts of funding and r&d, simulations (virtual and real life), construction, test launch that's all just before take off and then the cost of the materials and tech that will be used to build the habitat for humans in mars.

The budget should be more like $50-$100Billion

[Vod]

The main reason being is the budget. MarsOne has a budget of $4Billion up to 6$ billion Max. A budget that's just not enough. $4-$6 billion get you a light rail system for a small city on earth, we're talking here about transporting humans to Mars which is an extremely challenging task that requires huge amounts of funding and r&d, simulations (virtual and real life), construction, test launch that's all just before take off and then the cost of the materials and tech that will be used to build the habitat for humans in mars.

Not really.  A lot of the cost would come from the return from Mars.  You'd have to bring enough fuel for both trips - you'd have to design and carry a vehicle that could lift off from Mars, etc.

All we are really doing is landing on the moon again - except the moon is further away, and we don't need to lift off from it.  We already have the technology for leaving the earth and living in space for a while.

Just my $.02

 

[GigaCoin]

The main reason being is the budget. MarsOne has a budget of $4Billion up to 6$ billion Max. A budget that's just not enough. $4-$6 billion get you a light rail system for a small city on earth, we're talking here about transporting humans to Mars which is an extremely challenging task that requires huge amounts of funding and r&d, simulations (virtual and real life), construction, test launch that's all just before take off and then the cost of the materials and tech that will be used to build the habitat for humans in mars.

Not really.  A lot of the cost would come from the return from Mars.  You'd have to bring enough fuel for both trips - you'd have to design and carry a vehicle that could lift off from Mars, etc.

All we are really doing is landing on the moon again - except the moon is further away, and we don't need to lift off from it.  We already have the technology for leaving the earth and living in space for a while.

Just my $.02

 

Sure we have the tech I don't disagree, I just disagree with the costing. I believe it will cost a lot more if they r to do this mission properly (after proper research and testing) unless they plan to cram a few astronauts in a tuna can launch them and hope they don't die in Mars.

[Vod]

Sure we have the tech I don't disagree, I just disagree with the costing. I believe it will cost a lot more if they r to do this mission properly (after proper research and testing) unless they plan to cram a few astronauts in a tuna can launch them and hope they don't die in Mars.

Well, we would know statistically if they would die on Mars.  Once they are there, we know their environment and the chances for a disaster, such as an asteroid shower destroying the habitats or a key component breaking down.

The big question is, can we get them there and land them safely?  And in my opinion, we currently have the technology to do that.  We've landed several rovers already.

[Lauda]

The main reason being is the budget. MarsOne has a budget of $4Billion up to 6$ billion Max. A budget that's just not enough. $4-$6 billion get you a light rail system for a small city on earth, we're talking here about transporting humans to Mars which is an extremely challenging task that requires huge amounts of funding and r&d, simulations (virtual and real life), construction, test launch that's all just before take off and then the cost of the materials and tech that will be used to build the habitat for humans in mars.

Not really.  A lot of the cost would come from the return from Mars.  You'd have to bring enough fuel for both trips - you'd have to design and carry a vehicle that could lift off from Mars, etc.

All we are really doing is landing on the moon again - except the moon is further away, and we don't need to lift off from it.  We already have the technology for leaving the earth and living in space for a while.

Just my $.02

 

Yes that is it, but I do not think that the planned mission which I've linked has a return trip home. Once you go up there, you're not getting back anytime soon.

[dogechode]

Thread resurrection.

What do you guys think about the current policies about governments not claiming territory on celestial bodies?