> Disregarding the effects on atmosphere loss, wouldn't a machine like this eventually be more or less essential if humans ever decide to move in long term? I

> Disregarding the effects on atmosphere loss, wouldn't a machine like this eventually be more or less essential if humans ever decide to move in long term? I think it's more practical in the long term to create a magnetic field at Mars itself. Using future technology on a scale unimaginable at present (and similar to that proposed in the linked article), we could magnetize Mars' (now-solid) ferrous materials by the onetime application of a very strong magnetic field. Mars once had a dynamic magnetic field like ours, but Mars' liquid ferrous materials solidified as the planet cooled, which caused its field to disappear. A permanent field could be created by the deliberate application of a strong temporary field that would magnetize the planet's ferrous materials. Details: http://arachnoid.com/restoring_mars/ http://arachnoid.com/restoring_mars/