why have we not terraformed mars

[galactic explorer]

with our current tech why haven't we terraformed mars?

 

[COLGeek]

What current tech can actually do this? How do you define terraformed, in this regard?

 

[Catastrophe]

"with our current tech why haven't we terraformed mars?"

If it's that easy, start by "terraforming" the Sahara, the Kalahari, and other deserts, and Antarctica. They are a lot easier to get to and a lot easier to form, but not that easy!

Cat

 

[Wolfshadw]

Our current technology allows us to colonize Mars. Terraforming Mars is not possible with our current level of technology.

-Wolf sends

 

[Catastrophe]

Wolfshadw is absolutely correct on drawing the distinction between colonizing and terraforming. A colony could be the simplest of habitations, perhaps inside a cave for protection.

Terraforming is a whole different ball game. This is converting a whole planet, providing a breathable atmosphere of the right pressure, converting at least major parts of the surface to promote the sustaining of life. A viable system such as to include plants taking in carbon dioxide and expelling oxygen. A planet which will provide the essentials of life on an ongoing basis.

Cat

 

[SpaceGirlUa]

I believe that in current situation on Earth it is really better for national space centers to do their best in order to help solve such prob;ems as Mars terraforming. Why some people still believe that Elon Mask's business is only commerce? I admire people who thought about entire planet's future and achieving his goals with such rates!

 

[Catastrophe]

If we started terraforming now (which we can't) it is such an enormous undertaking that I reckon a thousand years is not enough. Colonies are a different matter. But colonies are not going to solve the problem of a large asteroid.

Cat

Terraforming or terraformation (literally, "Earth-shaping") is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying the atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology of a planet, moon, or other body to be similar to the environment of Earth to make it habitable by Earth-like life.
Terraforming - Wikipedia


Colonization of the inner Solar System - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Colonization_of_the_i...

The planet also receives almost seven times the solar flux as the Earth/Moon system and also has a magnetosphere, unlike Mars and Venus. Mercury an ideal ...
‎Candidate locations · ‎Moon · ‎Mars · ‎Venus

 

[Clovis]

Well, it's like Mars is the Earths only lifeboat. The movie Red Planet had the best idea of terraforming Mars that I have ever seen or heard of. Algae, it thrives on Co2 and produces oxygen. Some species have even been found growing in the Antarctic, so it is able to endure the cold.

 

[Clovis]

As with any colony's on Mars, they would need to have HABs . Radiation proof is a must. But a new theory has been pushed to the front of these problems. We now know that Mars has massive caverns. Seal them off and live in them with life support systems. Your blocked from the radiation, or any small meteorites that might destroy a surface HAB. We also now know there is water ice on Mars trapped below the surface. In a cavern we may be able to access it in one of those.

 

[Catastrophe]

Clovis, do you realise the scale of first making an atmosphere on Mars suitable for human survival. And then replacing losses of said atmosphere into space?

I am afraid that there would not be enough places on the lifeboat. What number of humans would you envisage being able to be ferried to Mars?

Cat

 

[Clovis]

Is those all beyond our current technology? Humm, not really, our biggest problem is getting there safely and surviving once we do. It's well within our technology either way. But it's like Klatuu said to the Earthman , technology is not your problem, you are your problem.

 

[Clovis]

Clovis, do you realise the scale of first making an atmosphere on Mars suitable for human survival. And then replacing losses of said atmosphere into space?

I am afraid that there would not be enough places on the lifeboat. What number of humans would you envisage being able to be ferried to Mars?

Cat

Answers, thicken the atmosphere by melting some of the ice at the poles.

 

[Clovis]

If it's Co2 ok, that would create a green house effect. Which,would only be helpful for the Algie. How many people could go? That would depend on our ships, how big they are and how many of them we have. And how many trips we make. Of course it couldn't happen overnight, but in this case we wouldn't have any other choice. We are already on the edge of our own destruction.

 

[Clovis]

OoooK, hypothetically off the record. Let's say that 100 humans are chosen to go , both men and women. And we already have a large enough suitable HAB established on Mars. Something's gonna happen and we all know what that is. Either on the ship or once in the HAB. Some woman is going to pop out a baby lol. So, would that baby born on Mars technically be a Martian?

 

[Clovis]

How would you feel if you were that baby, male or female growing up knowing you were the very first real Martian? Then there's another one, and so on for a few decades. Would they eventually develop a hate for the Earth.
Like was seen in the TV series the Expanse. Then that broke out into a planetary, solar System war. The last time I watched that Mars was winning.

 

[Clovis]

The Expanse, Mars lays claim to the Asteroid belt and all planets after that.
Leaving Earth only Venus and Mercury. The Earth is in pretty bad shape after that. Loseing it's mines on Mars and any hope of mineing the Asteroid belt. Earth try's to sneak through the Martian blockade, but never makes it.
This all takes place in the early 23rd century.

 

[Clovis]

Accually the books were better than the TV series. Which only picked up in the 23 century. After all the dangers and hardships the early Mars pioneers had to endure and over come.

 

[Pogo]

Terraforming would require the dissociation of the iron oxide in the rock to extract the oxygen or water to extract the oxygen, but in the case of water, what to do with the hydrogen, perhaps a tall stack to blow it off into the upper atmosphere to escape into space. Problem is insufficient nitrogen to dilute the oxygen so the planet doesn’t become flammable. In any case, the other difficulty would be that the atmosphere would likely escape to space almost as fast as we generate it.
btw, I am an ‘American’ but not a Native American, therefore, a child born on Mars would be a Martian, but, I guess not a Native Martian, which, as far as we’ve seen, is nonexistent.

 

[Catastrophe]

why have we not terraformed mars

Colonise, , , , , , , , , , eventually, . . . . . . . . . maybe ??????

Terraform - totally out of the question for all the reasons which have already been posted on this subject.

Cat

 

[Misha Marchuk]

Terraforming Mars is not as easy as it sounds. At least it is not so difficult to create temperature and atmosphere, but it is very difficult to stabilize it, besides this it is also to populate Mars with living organisms. Well, for this you need to find and keep this process there and control it. That's the problem. Can you think of solutions to these problems? if you want.

 

[Catastrophe]

If you include the whole life process of growing food, then, no, I do not believe that terraforming is possible within 5000 years, if ever. Just think of all the time and fuel and energy just getting the first few there. Then how long to stabilise conditions (impossible, as Mars is too small) but to try, and keep trying. Then stabilising food chain.

No small undertaking - I would say impossible.

Cat