Guest Mike_Hines01 Posted January 12, 2004 Hello everyone, I watched a really interesting programme the other night, called Moving To Mars. It talked about all the ideas of sending people to Mars, new ship designs and stuff like that. What I found really interesting though, was that in a century or two we may be able to turn Mars into an Earth like planet with everything that we have right here on Earth. I just wanted to know if anyone else thinks that we would be able to do this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Engineer Toby Ghost Sloan 0 Posted January 12, 2004 I love mars, but living in mars? I think we will live there within 10 years or more and not before. And do you believe that any aliens live there? Possibly! YEAH!!!! :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mike_Hines01 Posted January 12, 2004 Yes, I agree that we may have men on Mars in a decade or two, but i wanted to know what you thought about terraforming Mars. And no, I dont think we will find any aliens on Mars, except maybe things like bacteria and extremophiles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goose 0 Posted January 12, 2004 Stardate:21433.9 I love the idea of terraforming Mars.The idea of colonizing other worlds is very exciting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ARMS 0 Posted January 12, 2004 Simple really grow algea and thats the 1st part of teraformation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xeroc 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Well, terraforming mars is a little harder that most people think. It just about never gets above freezing and has just about no water in anywhere but (maybe) the poles (which, of course, are even colder) The only way to effectivey terraform it would be to: • Move its orbit into the fully habitable zone • Genetically Engineer an organism to survive on the fridgid, barren surface • Thicken or heat up the atmosphere with something Prospects are not to promising for the near future. But, you never know... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hangon 3 Posted January 18, 2004 I THINK I SAW THE SAME PROGRAM MIKE I TOO THOUGHT IT WAS COOL,HELL I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE THERE :blink: SUNSET ON MARS MUST BE SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odo 0 Posted January 18, 2004 someday maybe it would be cool to be there when it happens. maybe are great, great,great grandchildren will take part Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edmcgon 0 Posted January 18, 2004 (edited) It might be possible, given our current level of technology, to terraform Mars in a century or more. The key to colonizing Mars is to find something useful there. Nobody is moving to Mars just for the sake of moving to Mars. Whether it is a rare element to be mined or year-round skiing, there has to be some kind of economic incentive involved. Otherwise, you end up with a few bases for scientific research like we have in Antarctica. Edited January 19, 2004 by edmcgon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mike_Hines01 Posted January 18, 2004 The programme I watched suggested that terraforming Mars could be done a lot quicker by melting the dry ice in the southern pole, this would release CO2 into the atmosphere and start off the Green House effect and warm up the planet. They also said that there could be water just a few metres under the surface, and if we could get to it we could start to plant trees and send up algea which would start to produce oxygen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted January 18, 2004 Mike, are you asking about the moral implications of terra forming - if indeed there is bacterial life should we "interfere" with the natural evolution of Mars life by replacing it with our own. Actually, I have read that people are discussing this. Here's one website: Thinkquest Others just support colonization - Mars Frontier I'd probably have to give this more thought but my general feeling is the presence of bacteria isn't a moral bar to colonization. If left alone it may over several millenia evolve into an advanced lifeform but it may not. I think there will always be adventurers lured by a new frontier who will want to colonize space - Star Trek and this bb are examples of how people feel that drive. Besides - we've kind of run out of places to colonize on Earth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edmcgon 0 Posted January 19, 2004 I think there will always be adventurers lured by a new frontier who will want to colonize space - Star Trek and this bb are examples of how people feel that drive. Besides - we've kind of run out of places to colonize on Earth. TUH, There is plenty of room in Antarctica to colonize. My point is that if we are not moving to someplace as free and open as Antarctica, why would people move to Mars, which is LESS hospitable? Even terraformed, Mars would still be colder than Earth. I have nothing against visiting Mars. I just think we will need an economic incentive to stay there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headborg 1 Posted January 19, 2004 Mike, we could have been on Mars by 1965 with enough gear and tools to have already started that terra-forming mission-if Project Orion had been funded. The British Interplanetary Society's Daedalus project would have been even better! You can read all about it at http://www.islandone.org/Propulsion/ProjectOrion.html :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites