The first colony on mars - what would it be like?
- Thread starter flux_29
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I'm shocked that English libraries don't have any sci-fi books.
Go watch Red Planet or Total Recall (ignoring the mutants, of course)
I would suggest enclosed habitats featuring a see through dome that's tough enough to hold things in and keep things out whether it be solid or an energy field, and of course be reliable.
The enclosed area could be introduced to Earth soil and flora and trees, so there would be an outdoor setting of plants, trees, lakes, rivers, and mountains which are already there. As opposed to living in some sterile and sealed off enclosed base.
The enclosed area could be introduced to Earth soil and flora and trees, so there would be an outdoor setting of plants, trees, lakes, rivers, and mountains which are already there. As opposed to living in some sterile and sealed off enclosed base.
I suppose it depends on how you define a colony as opposed to an outpost. To my mind a proper colony has to be not only self sufficient but self perpetuating, which means child baring couples and a significantly large gene pool that they can go for several generations without needing new colonists from Earth before they start inbreeding. So with that in mind, a *real* Mars colony would look something like this.
The little collections of small modules is the kind of thing you'd expect in the first few decades when it's just a small bunch of astronauts (marsnauts?) spending a few years at a time doing research before going home, leaving the hab-modules behind for the next crew to use and add to. Eventually though, if we're serious about permanent habitation then it'd have to be most domed cities, townships and roofed off chasms.
Either way it'd be a long time before people would be able to walk outside without a pressure suit, though if terraforming works then eventually in the low altitude equatorial zones it might be possible to walk around with only cold weather gear and a simple breather mask.
The little collections of small modules is the kind of thing you'd expect in the first few decades when it's just a small bunch of astronauts (marsnauts?) spending a few years at a time doing research before going home, leaving the hab-modules behind for the next crew to use and add to. Eventually though, if we're serious about permanent habitation then it'd have to be most domed cities, townships and roofed off chasms.
Either way it'd be a long time before people would be able to walk outside without a pressure suit, though if terraforming works then eventually in the low altitude equatorial zones it might be possible to walk around with only cold weather gear and a simple breather mask.
Domed cities would require far to much technology to be transported over. Much easier to tunnel into and carve out a mountain. Also much cheaper to bring several pounds of explosives along than all the equipment it will take to build a dome. Protection from sand storms and radiation will then come from the bulk of the mountain itself.
It would likely be necessary to be fluent in Chinese.
Add in radiation from both the travel and then the lack of protective atmosphere...
If by colony you mean a mostly self-sufficient collection of families, I believe it's likely to be centuries away at best and who can successfully guess that far ahead?
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At first it would be used a place for scientific study like Antarctica is today. Tourism and permanent settlement is another story.
Gravitomagnetism would also have to become a reality, like Star Trek's "grav plating" to compensate for the lesser gravity on Mars. Although at this time it can only be created through mass or acceleration not on a surface of a planet or asteroid.
Gravitomagnetism would also have to become a reality, like Star Trek's "grav plating" to compensate for the lesser gravity on Mars. Although at this time it can only be created through mass or acceleration not on a surface of a planet or asteroid.
ProtoAvatar
Fleet Captain
Cramped and dusty.
Short, medium and even long term - NOT going to happen.
Technological singularity level (if this 'revelation for nerds' will actually come to pass) - maybe.
The gravity problem is ony one of many reasons O'Neill colonies are a far better option than domes built on mars (or any other hostile planet).
Others include - time till the environment becomes Earth-like (~10 years for O'Neill colonies, never for Mars, even when terraformed), lack of a gravity well to impede interplanetary travel, etc
Short, medium and even long term - NOT going to happen.
Technological singularity level (if this 'revelation for nerds' will actually come to pass) - maybe.
The gravity problem is ony one of many reasons O'Neill colonies are a far better option than domes built on mars (or any other hostile planet).
Others include - time till the environment becomes Earth-like (~10 years for O'Neill colonies, never for Mars, even when terraformed), lack of a gravity well to impede interplanetary travel, etc
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