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Yeah, and as always, it comes down to energy -- there's an established way to turn CO2 and H20 into Methane and Oxygen, given enough energy for input. And Spac
by jbooth 11y ago
Yeah, and as always, it comes down to energy -- there's an established way to turn CO2 and H20 into Methane and Oxygen, given enough energy for input. And SpaceX has put some research into methane-fueled rockets already. So some people are theorizing that the play is to plunk an unmanned nuclear reactor and electrolysis equipment on the surface of mars, let it crank out a trickle of fuel for a couple years, and we've got the infrastructure to send a there-and-back mission to mars with on-site refueling. No big deal, right?
- derekp7 11y agoThe only thing that bugs me about this strategy -- whenever you look at a rocket launch, there is a lot of infrastructure and people running about doing stuff prior to the launch. So how is this going to happen on Mars? The only way the Moon return missions were possible was because of the low gravity and no atmosphere on the moon. I just can't see a rocket launch from Mars happening with on-site manufactured fuel and automated facilities.
- run4yourlives2 11y agoI don't think it's coincidence that SpaceX is continually testing the automation of their launch and recovery processes. They aren't there now, certainly, but by the time regular there and back missions to Mars are viable, they probably will be.
- jordanthoms 11y agoMars is substantially easier to launch from since there is less atmosphere and gravity. Still, it is going to need far more autonomous rockets that can launch with less infrastructure.
- Already__Taken 11y agoIf Spacex to manage to make a "Just add fuel" rocket they're striving so hard to do, automating the logistics if a robot connecting a fuel pipe doesn't seem so bad. That is a rather large hurdle to get over though.
- run4yourlives2 11y agoThat would certainly jive with the Oxygen creating greenhouses that he was playing with. Methane could be gathered from the same greenhouse idea but for animals. Funnily enough, both of those things work pretty well to support human life too... Interesting to see where it goes, that's for sure.