micfranklin wrote:
Yay, potential colonization of a planet.
Unfortunately Mars is a sh*t hole. It is geo-magnetically dead and even if an atmosphere is produced it will not last long because of intense solar storms. Earth is protected by a strong magnetic field. Mar lost its magnetic field a billion years ago. Its atmosphere and water have been blasted into space by strong electromagnetic storms (coronal mass ejections).
The best we can do with Mars is build underground habitats which can accommodate a limited population for a limited time. Mars might be a good base planet when we are able to mine the asteroid belt. Until then Mars has less to offer than our own moon which is a manageable distance from the ground and whose far side will be Fat City for the astronomers. The Moon might also be a good source of Helium 3 which we will need if controlled fusion reactors can be made practical. The Moon is our best next step.
ruveyn
08 May 2014, 6:25 pm
