4 ms·
Which laws of physics prevent a permanent base on Mars?
by adrianN 4y ago
Which laws of physics prevent a permanent base on Mars?
- paulryanrogers 4y agoGravity primarily and the lack of carbon on the surface. Also the lack of a magnetic field to maintain atmosphere and shield from radiation.
- adrianN 4y agoMars has carbon in its atmosphere. I don't think we have the necessary data to say that Mars' lower gravity prevents long-term settlement. Mars has enough mass to keep an atmosphere for millions of years, but you probably want to mostly live underground for the foreseeable future.
- ben_w 4y agoGravity can be solved the same way as on a space station (spinning), you just don't put the floors at the same angle because you're adding the constant vector from the mass to the frame of reference vector from being in a centrifuge. Artificial magnetic fields are easy. Sometimes we do them when we don't want them. Carbon is 1/3rd of the atmosphere (such as it is) by mass. Conveniently in solid form near the poles during Martian winter. I'm not sure it has nitrogen in any significant quantities, though…
- paulryanrogers 4y agoSpinning enough to produce usable gravity is non-trivial and building something like that in space requires overcoming Earth's own gravity well.
- ben_w 4y agoNon-trivial yes; although house-sized spinning fairground rides are a thing so it's clearly infinitely easier than the gravity of Mars being a law of physics. And the only sane way to do this is ISRU, so we don't need to overcome Earth's gravity well for the structural mass.