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Both Mars and Titan currently lack an economical reason to try and live there. As long as it's just about the science or bragging rights, it will be completely
by bayesian_horse 7y ago
Both Mars and Titan currently lack an economical reason to try and live there.
As long as it's just about the science or bragging rights, it will be completely paid for from earth's resources, instead of building on its own.
Any idea what tangible "export products" could make a Mars colony sustainable? I don't think space tourism is enough.
- mjevans 7y agoRe: Economics 'The belt' would best be mined by automated, semi-remote controlled machines. The Moon offers a good target to fire those resources at (aim to roughly keep it's orbital momentum the same), a low but not No G fab area with easy access to 'free' vacuum, and is usefully close to Earth orbits. Mars... I can't really think of any particular thing it does better offhand, that couldn't instead... Lagrange Points (L4 and L5) offer areas usefully distant from Earth for scientific and world-ending-event backup purposes, have a relatively low escape velocity, and are "safer" in that they draw masses to stay near them. This would be a great place to park a large rock (for shielding) and core out the inside. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point
- kyuudou 7y agoReminds me of what they did with the space station in Seveneves!