by rstevenson » Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:25 pm
Chris Peterson wrote:My point here isn't to get into a discussion of what, when, and how we should be controlling our own environment, but simply to point out how absurd the idea of terraforming another planet actually is given how little we seem to understand our own.
I take your point about how little we know about planet Earth. But if we ever decide, for whatever reason, to terraform Mars it may turn out to be a relatively simple thing, at least at first. We would need to increase the surface temperature, add oxygen and add water -- all three things being done simultaneously. The process may best be started somewhat violently, by "bombing" the planet with icy asteroids while heating it with orbital mirrors. Obviously we'd have to have the technology to accurately push large objects around in space as well as get large numbers of humans to Mars -- otherwise there's no point to the project.
IF we get ourselves under control here at home, and IF we get into and stay in space in a big way, and IF we have both the need and the political will as a species (countries need not apply), THEN we may undertake this sort of thing. But how long it will be before all that comes to pass is anybody's guess. My guess, barring something amazing happening in our technology, is that we'll start talking about terraforming Mars seriously about 300 to 500 years from now.
Rob
[quote="Chris Peterson"]My point here isn't to get into a discussion of what, when, and how we should be controlling our own environment, but simply to point out how absurd the idea of terraforming another planet actually is given how little we seem to understand our own.[/quote]
I take your point about how little we know about planet Earth. But if we ever decide, for whatever reason, to terraform Mars it may turn out to be a relatively simple thing, at least at first. We would need to increase the surface temperature, add oxygen and add water -- all three things being done simultaneously. The process may best be started somewhat violently, by "bombing" the planet with icy asteroids while heating it with orbital mirrors. Obviously we'd have to have the technology to accurately push large objects around in space as well as get large numbers of humans to Mars -- otherwise there's no point to the project.
IF we get ourselves under control here at home, and IF we get into and stay in space in a big way, and IF we have both the need and the political will as a species (countries need not apply), THEN we may undertake this sort of thing. But how long it will be before all that comes to pass is anybody's guess. My guess, barring something amazing happening in our technology, is that we'll start talking about terraforming Mars seriously about 300 to 500 years from now.
Rob