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There is also the issue that the average temperature on Mars is -60 celsius. Keeping humans alive on Mars would require nuclear power sources much larger then

There is also the issue that the average temperature on Mars is -60 celsius. Keeping humans alive on Mars would require nuclear power sources much larger then any that have been flung into space so far. If you are thinking of solar power then consider than the watts per square meter is about 40% of that on earth, that a big pile of batteries would be needed as well and how much work it would be to maintain a huge solar farm.

elihu 4y ago
One of the arguments in favor of Mars versus the moon is that at least it has a normal Earth-like day/night cycle. Solar power on the moon means having to have batteries that last through the 14 day nights. Mars is cold, but I don't think that's a huge problem. You just need an appropriate amount of insulation. I imagine a typical Mars habitat to be either sealed section of an existing lava tube or some kind of dome structure built at the bottom of a hole and then covered with sand, except for a stairwell. Either way, you'd line the inside with something. Aerogel, polystyrene, whatever works in that environment and whose ingredients can be transported to Mars in a compact form.
- hparadiz 4y ago
  I was thinking you could dome a large canyon with plain old glass and steel. Pump up the atmosphere inside and you'd be able to farm with day light and have a huge "outdoor" public space for people to enjoy. Buildings could be built into the canyon walls.
  - elihu 4y ago
    I'm not sure if structures like that can be made that would also provide adequate protection from radiation. My default assumption is that any early Mars colony would be doing almost everything underground, because that's the safest place to be.
- m4rtink 4y ago
  Heating stuff up is easier than cooling it down - it could be actually quite an issue on the moon during the 14 days of uninterrupted sunlight. Apollo was actually running of open cycle evaporative water coolers to dump all that heat & cooling was one of the main factors dictating surface mission duration. You are also in vacuum, so you either need that open cycle system or pretty massive radiative cooling. And then of course you need to also survive 14 days of no sunlight at all. At least here vacuum helps to reduce heat loss. :)

elihu 4y ago

One of the arguments in favor of Mars versus the moon is that at least it has a normal Earth-like day/night cycle. Solar power on the moon means having to have batteries that last through the 14 day nights. Mars is cold, but I don't think that's a huge problem. You just need an appropriate amount of insulation. I imagine a typical Mars habitat to be either sealed section of an existing lava tube or some kind of dome structure built at the bottom of a hole and then covered with sand, except for a stairwell. Either way, you'd line the inside with something. Aerogel, polystyrene, whatever works in that environment and whose ingredients can be transported to Mars in a compact form.

hparadiz 4y ago
I was thinking you could dome a large canyon with plain old glass and steel. Pump up the atmosphere inside and you'd be able to farm with day light and have a huge "outdoor" public space for people to enjoy. Buildings could be built into the canyon walls.
- elihu 4y ago
  I'm not sure if structures like that can be made that would also provide adequate protection from radiation. My default assumption is that any early Mars colony would be doing almost everything underground, because that's the safest place to be.
m4rtink 4y ago
Heating stuff up is easier than cooling it down - it could be actually quite an issue on the moon during the 14 days of uninterrupted sunlight. Apollo was actually running of open cycle evaporative water coolers to dump all that heat & cooling was one of the main factors dictating surface mission duration. You are also in vacuum, so you either need that open cycle system or pretty massive radiative cooling. And then of course you need to also survive 14 days of no sunlight at all. At least here vacuum helps to reduce heat loss. :)