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#1 Re: Human missions » Moxie and only Moxie » 2020-02-17 21:31:58

kbd512 wrote:

Ancient Mars,

If only it was that simple...

As a Mars Society contributor famously noted, "just" is another one of those dirty four-letter words in the realm of real engineering.

Yes, just opening the airlock and hoping some of the CO2 will just waft in over the plants would be a horrible idea. big_smile But perhaps the idea of bringing in CO2 from the outside and letting the plants "process" it might be an attractive alternative to the Moxie. (But maybe I'm missing something?) Of course, your plants could die, and then you'd be wishing you brought a Moxie instead.

#2 Re: Human missions » Moxie and only Moxie » 2020-02-16 15:52:08

Why don't we just use plants? All the colonists have to do is introduce some of the CO2 into the greenhouse and the plants will do the rest, right? This seems much simpler to me.

#4 Re: Life support systems » Food! - Marsians=vegetarians? » 2020-02-14 15:43:44

SpaceNut wrote:

Every living creater has the potential to carry pathogens and parasites these days even with careful care to vacinate and given antibiotics they still can come down sick needing the entire hurds disposed of.

That's one great reason not to bring animals to Mars, at least not initially.
Besides, being vegetarian isn't all that bad noways. If your hungry for meat, you can always go cook up the Impossible Burger.
As an added benefit, it's way less wasteful to be plant based. For every 1 calorie of beef you get from a cow, you have to feed that same cow approximately 8 calories of food. Meat isn't evil, but it definitely isn't the most efficient form of food, and I doubt it will be a luxury that the future Martian people will be able to afford any time soon.

Edit: I forgot to mention fish as an exception. If aquaponics ends up being used to grow food on Mars, than the colonists will get fish to eat, since fish are an integral part of aquaponics and you may as well eat them if you've got them.

#5 Re: Human missions » A City Rises on the Plain... » 2020-02-14 13:44:51

Yes, working in either a greenhouse or a park would be awesome; I just want to go to Mars while still being near nature.

Also, is their a tourist complex in Sagan City yet? I know that it would be one heck of an expensive vacation, and a long one too! Six months to get there, perhaps a month on the surface, and then another six months back. But I do think there would be plenty that are willing to go and also have enough money. (E.g. Elon Musk.)

#6 Re: Martian Chronicles » Pessimist in Paradise » 2020-02-14 13:20:27

I found this a very enjoyable read! Thanks for sharing this with us. I hope to see more short stories from you in the future...

#7 Re: Human missions » A City Rises on the Plain... » 2020-02-13 16:54:56

I volunteer to move to Sagan City. My only request is that I work at the agricultural labs, preferably the greenhouse part of it, if there is a greenhouse.

Also, this thread totally reminds of of Artemis, by Andy Weir!

#8 Martian Politics and Economy » Keeping future mars colony from becoming slaves to Earth » 2020-02-02 20:14:16

Ancient Mars
Replies: 7

Dramatic title, I know, but I was just thinking how crewed space missions in general seem to follow a chain of command, with positions like "Commander" and "Spaceflight Participant." This chain of command culminates with whatever organization is funding/directing the mission, e.g. SpaceX or NASA. In the case of a mars colony, this organization will ultimately lay down the law and serve as the de facto government of the mars colony.
This may be necessary during the early stages of colonization, but at what point will a different government, a democracy where the people of mars rule, be established? Or will it ever, dooming the martian settlers to eternal enslavement to Earth?

Just my thoughts of course. Tell me what you think! smile

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