Terraforming of Mars

[Beavis]

This wouldn't work.

Mars is 95% carbon dioxide and the max temperature at the equator is 35 degree C in summer. The mean surface temperature is -60 degrees. I mean if you believe global warming and you remove all that carbon dioxide then the temperature should plummet even lower.

You could change the atmosphere i suppose to oxygen, etc. but Earth only works because of it's distance from the sun.

Fortunately, the people who are actually studying this aren't a bunch of morons and the plan calls for heating the atmosphere by increasing its density.

[Deleted]

The cost and time required to accomplish this are underestimated to a ridiculous scale.

I think you're right. But the biggest problem is that the terraforming of Mars isn't exactly a priority to anyone in charge of anything.

So yeah, not going to happen anytime soon.

[ultimar235]

What ?

Martian surface temperatures vary from lows of about −143 °C (−225 °F) (at the winter polar caps)[8] to highs of up to 35 °C (95 °F) (in equatorial summer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars

What What?

Read your link, it says -63 degrees mean. Earth's one is 14 degrees.

Fortunately, the people who are actually studying this aren't a bunch of morons and the plan calls for heating the atmosphere by increasing its density.

You can't make something from nothing, where is this extra mass going to come from?

[Mister K]

I think you're right. But the biggest problem is that the terraforming of Mars isn't exactly a priority to anyone in charge of anything.

So yeah, not going to happen anytime soon.

Exactly, at this moment no one really cares about this or at least some do but not the majority. While it would be great if this happened as soon as possible I do not see it. We are not at threat of destroying our planet (you can say that we partly are with all the Wars but...). If there was a threat that our planet will go "boom" within X hundreds of years then I am sure this would be underway ASAP. Also investors will see this as money wasted, they will most likely die by the time it is terraformed so no point in wasting resources.

Its all about the money, no money no advancements.

[eldaveo]

The irony here is that the expenses predicted here are not that much more than the US defense budget for one year.

I have the feeling commercial enterprise is going to get humans to Mars before governments do. I have high hopes for Elon Musk and his SpaceX company.

[Mister K]

What What?

Read your link, it says -63 degrees mean. Earth's one is 14 degrees.




You can't make something from nothing, where is this extra mass going to come from?

Some things may not seem possible at this current day, but in future with the aid of technology it may not be case. But of course there are many things that can go wrong before then.

---------- Post added 2012-09-09 at 11:31 PM ----------

The irony here is that the expenses predicted here are not that much more than the US defense budget for one year.

I have the feeling commercial enterprise is going to get humans to Mars before governments do. I have high hopes for Elon Musk and his SpaceX company.

Yes Nasas funding has been cut last time I checked. So basically its all about the private corporations now because Governments do not really care about Space exploration.

[Beavis]

You can't make something from nothing, where is this extra mass going to come from?

I would imagine we'd bring it with us.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

The cost and time required to accomplish this are underestimated to a ridiculous scale.

They aren't. Or maybe they are. It's impossible to say because of the enormity of change that will likely occur in 300 years.

[Deleted]

What What?

Read your link, it says -63 degrees mean. Earth's one is 14 degrees.




You can't make something from nothing, where is this extra mass going to come from?

Of course you wont make it from nothing, an atmosphere is basically just a layer of gases, find the right proportion create it synthetically and transport it up there, in theory, far from impossible, in practise ? Far from achiveable by todays standards of technology.

[shise]

We know that Mars is not as red as they show it to us... but why use such color filters?

[Grimbold21]

As long as the seeds aren't provided by Monsanto or any affiliates

[Deleted]

I would imagine we'd bring it with us.

Yeah, in our planet sized spaceships

[Mister K]

Yeah, in our planet sized spaceships

Yes well know it may seem rather difficult and just obsolete. But as has been said, 50 to 100 years can be a big change and stations can be setup inbetween to make things easier when it comes to transporting goods.

[Ave07]

Im pretty sure humanity will be extinct before any of that stuff happens.

[Lazy Gecko]

Do any of these terraforming plans account for Mars not being geologically active and produces no magnetic field?

[Heathy]

I guess they need to first find some sort of fuel source on mars to make it not only viable but worth doing.

[Deleted]

The equipment required to do anything meaningful on mars would require propulsion technology that doesn't exist yet to get it there. The Saturn 5 and N1 are still the biggest rockets to date, and mars is alot further away than the moon. And tech like Ion thrusters and VASIMR still arn't enough to get gear out there.

I think it'll take hundreds of years and breakthroughs like fusion power before any of this becomes more than dreams. Still, dreams got men in space, on the moon and surviving in space stations, but I've given up hope on a three breasted wife.

[Mouri Kogorou]

why did you have to remind me of this

[Beavis]

Yeah, in our planet sized spaceships

Yeah, you're right. That's crazy. Technology and engineering are totally static and never advance. What was I thinking?

[poser765]

Im pretty sure humanity will be extinct before any of that stuff happens.

I love these kinds of threads because they bring out all of these guys.This kind of self loathing, self hating attitude makes me feel pretty good about my self. Sometimes I am depressed but if people are this depressed I am not doing so bad.