3 ms·

Ask HN: Current challenges that must be solved for humans to colonize Mars?

I actually used to post articles about Mars, more than I recall doing,[1] yet I feel like I don't have a good grasp of what issues still need to be solved before colonizing Mars is a realistic scenario. I've done some searching and I seem to be finding rather old articles (2003, 2007, 2018) and even stuff that looks to me like hype at first blush [2]. I am not readily finding what I feel is a good article from a respected/reliable source with a current overview. The technical challenges of going seem to not be what makes headlines. If you have some good sources with a good overview, please point me to them. (Or if you just know a lot about the topic and want to talk at me, please feel free.) Please and thank you. [1] https://hn.algolia.com/?q=mars+mz [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8688002

allears 4y ago
If Elon's goal of colonizing Mars leads to accelerated development of rockets and other space tech, that's gotta be a good thing. But the actual challenges of not only traveling to Mars but transporting enough people and supplies to set up a self-sustaining colony there, are still firmly in the realm of science fiction. Especially considering that it would take an enormous commitment of resources, more than any one company or nation could come up with, as well as the fractured and squabbling state of the human race at present, tells me that it would take a lot more than just solving a handful of technical issues.
- DoreenMichele 4y ago
  Thank you. I don't think of technical challenges as just being about developing better rockets. I think of technical challenges more broadly, which is perhaps me being quirky. For example, I was super excited to see a study suggesting that potatoes can be grown on Mars because potatoes are the only food I know of that is nearly nutritionally complete. So if we can successfully grow potatoes on Mars, that would be a big deal. (Though if anything went wrong, it would be the space exploration version of The Irish Potato Famine all over again. Ugh.) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823275 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823275
JumpinJack_Cash 4y ago
Regardless of the technical barriers, sooner or later you’ll have to face the real problem: You’ll have to convince a couple of generations if not more to throw their only life away Sacrifice similar to the Chernobyl fire brigade, except all day, every day for 30-50 years to get the colony up and running. And besides I really dont get this whole backup plan doctrine. Backups by definition are as fungible as the original, but if the Earth is destroyed the Mars colony has no chance. Whatever the odds of survival are for Earth, the odds for the Mars colony are orders of magnitude worse. Looks like it’s not even a worthwhile sacrifice
BMc2020 4y ago
First perfect a closed arcology with minimial inputs on Earth first. Basically upscaled Biosphere II. Then I'd suggest perfecting them on the moon, maybe in lava tubes or at the poles.
dflock 4y ago
This was on here today and is very interesting and well sourced, but might make you sad: https://idlewords.com/2023/1/why_not_mars.htm https://idlewords.com/2023/1/why_not_mars.htm

allears 4y ago

If Elon's goal of colonizing Mars leads to accelerated development of rockets and other space tech, that's gotta be a good thing. But the actual challenges of not only traveling to Mars but transporting enough people and supplies to set up a self-sustaining colony there, are still firmly in the realm of science fiction. Especially considering that it would take an enormous commitment of resources, more than any one company or nation could come up with, as well as the fractured and squabbling state of the human race at present, tells me that it would take a lot more than just solving a handful of technical issues.

DoreenMichele 4y ago
Thank you. I don't think of technical challenges as just being about developing better rockets. I think of technical challenges more broadly, which is perhaps me being quirky. For example, I was super excited to see a study suggesting that potatoes can be grown on Mars because potatoes are the only food I know of that is nearly nutritionally complete. So if we can successfully grow potatoes on Mars, that would be a big deal. (Though if anything went wrong, it would be the space exploration version of The Irish Potato Famine all over again. Ugh.) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823275 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823275

JumpinJack_Cash 4y ago

Regardless of the technical barriers, sooner or later you’ll have to face the real problem: You’ll have to convince a couple of generations if not more to throw their only life away Sacrifice similar to the Chernobyl fire brigade, except all day, every day for 30-50 years to get the colony up and running. And besides I really dont get this whole backup plan doctrine. Backups by definition are as fungible as the original, but if the Earth is destroyed the Mars colony has no chance. Whatever the odds of survival are for Earth, the odds for the Mars colony are orders of magnitude worse. Looks like it’s not even a worthwhile sacrifice

BMc2020 4y ago

First perfect a closed arcology with minimial inputs on Earth first. Basically upscaled Biosphere II. Then I'd suggest perfecting them on the moon, maybe in lava tubes or at the poles.

dflock 4y ago

This was on here today and is very interesting and well sourced, but might make you sad: https://idlewords.com/2023/1/why_not_mars.htm https://idlewords.com/2023/1/why_not_mars.htm