10-16-2007, 05:18 PM
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Earl
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,755
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Originally Posted by themisfithitman
I definitely agree, our planet is wonderful, but it is not infinite.
This would also be amazing, its just the cost of the construction of such a structure would be quite large, though, like many renewable resources, it would most likely be just an up-front cost.
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It would also need a large power source to maintain the spining (they had these in the anime show Gundam), solar panels would probably work best, being that they never need to be refueled.
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This is an extremely, considering we can spend so much on arms and armies, undertake-able task. We could definitely, with some genetic modification on the plants, be able to plant organics on Mars. The Mirror Plan would be extremely expensive, but how about a solar power plant or something as such, or, if nobody cares about emitting a ton of CO2 into the Martian atmosphere, then we could just set up one of the most environmentally inefficient power plants that is available to us to help give the planet an atmosphere, and the plants CO2. Not coming from a scientist, but that idea sounds like the beginning of a possible plan for making Mars habitable.
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It's not that there isn't enough CO2 (there's tons of it in the polar caps), the planet's mass is too small to sustain a deceint atmosphere, most the CO2 that you pump out will escape into space. That is the same problem with O2, it is even lighter than CO2, and it will escape at an even faster rate, so the planet, will most likely never be able to sustain life without life support facilities.
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True, domes would definitely make the planets slightly habitable. As far as Mars goes, who said we couldn't do a larger scale biosphere experiment, with occasional resupply missions from Earth, the prospect of living in domes on Mars is quite visible. We already have the technology available to get to Mars, the only problem in the foreseeable future is that we need a way to get building materials to Mars and find a way to get back from Mars. This may bring on a new round of the highly dangerous Apollo missions of the 60's and 70's, but if it , as it should, brings us the capability to sustain life on Mars, then so be it. I personally, and I believe many others agree, believe that many would be willing to take on another series of missions like the Apollo missions in order to help further and prolong the human race.
The research and mining capabilities of the domes would allow initial construction of living quarters for the initial colonists, but, over time, they could add more and more living areas, and attempt to start terraforming projects. The research being performed on the I.S.S. could be mimicked on Mars to see the planet's effects on people. The major problem I see is that at present times it would be hard to pack enough fuel to make it both to and back from Mars.
We could send robots to perform the initial construction of the first living habitats for colonists. They could construct a farming dome, which would be large, but sustainable, and a hotel-like structure that would serve as living quarters. Though the Martian nights are much colder than here on Earth, there could be certain building elements that were the most insulating and fire-resistant that are available.
After the first bout of robot construction, then we could send actual human beings to do more precise building. They could live in the initial structures built by the robots while they make better structures for more people and better methods of greening their areas. An area could be constructed as a forest, which could be used to help produce oxygen and foods. Another area as a farming area, where protein-rich foods could be grown. Of course, a well-balanced diet would have to be grown on Mars, but we can do it on Earth, we just have to adapt it for Mars! 
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True, but I don't see how Mars can support enough humans (have enough biospheres denoted to farming and living) to be anything more than scientific and mining (that is if there is anything worth mining on Mars). You wouldn't be able to have more than a few thousand people in a biosphere community, and you wouldn't be able to have hundreds upon hundreds of these communities.
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