Teraforming mars – my theory

[franontanaya]

There are those lava tubes already discovered, but there's no proof yet that they extend a lot and if they are at high terrain like, volcano sides, you lose the extra aerobraking for landing and possibly access to water ice.<br /><br />I guess even if the human base was built partially underground, extensive low tech structures might be appealing for growing bioproducts. That would mean a lot of work done more easily near the surface. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

Yes you are correct FranOntanaya,<br /><br />The lava tubes & cavities found to date are well above the Datum Line (the 6.2 milibar level).<br /><br />These 'caves' if that is what they are, are far too high for normal parachute & landing <br />techniques. <br /><br />In fact the MER & Mars Pathfinder parachutes, deployed lower down the many of these volcanic caves.<br /><br />Lnding near them must be difficult, as atmospheric entry is still an issue, but atmospheric <br />density is too low for parachutes, unless they are enormous & can be deployed <br />at very high spedd & some 15 - 20 KM above the Datum Line???<br /><br />However that must be better than landing at the base of one of the giant Tharsis shields, then <br />climb to the caves?<br /><br />Also as FranOntanaya says, it is not known if they are very long. <br /><br />I suspect that like Earth, some are, but some are not & with the information at hand, dunno,<br />there's no way of telling.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[richalex]

Apropos to this discussion: <br /><br />"Natural subsurface cavities and subsurface constructs present the most mission effective habitat alternative for future human missions in the high-radiation environment of Mars. Additionally, lava tubes, other caves, cavities, and canyon overhangs are sites of intense scientific interest. They offer easier subsurface access for direct exploration and drilling, and may provide extractable minerals, gases, and ices. Expanding our NIAC Phase I feasibility assessment of a subsurface Mars mission architecture for the scientific exploration and human habitation of caves and subsurface facilities, we propose a two-part viability demonstration of selected technologies combined into a functioning system. This system can be integrated into both robotic precursors and human missions.<br /><br />"Part I (months 1-11) involves construction of an in-cave test habitat with associated life support and auxiliary systems for use with rodents and plants. This will culminate in an extended duration "Mouse Mission to Inner Space" in an Earth lava tube representative of those visible in recent MOC images of Mars. This will provide proof-of-concept for organism responses to system components and synergistic behavior. Additionally, it will lay the foundation for viability testing of non-human Earth organisms in situ on Mars - an indispensable precursor to human missions not currently recognized nor planned for within NASA.<br /><br />"Part II (months 12-23) expands on design, engineering, and scientific lessons learned during Part I to construct a human-scale inflatable in-cave habitat with associated life support and auxiliary systems. This will culminate in an extended duration "Speleonaut Mission to Inner Space" with a human crew or two living and performing scientific work in a pristine, biologically sensitive Earth cave representative of possible Martian subsurface life detection sites.<br /><br />"This project describes a revolutionary system comprisi

 

[thebigcat]

Lesson one: Beware of any article or scientific paper which starts out with an opinion stated as fact. The author is likely to have repeated the error within.<br /><br />Of course, this is just an opinion on my part. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>