Light Deposits, Water Flowing on Mars (APOD 12 Dec 2006)

[Dr. Skeptic]

For argument sake, let say one of the reader has decided to purchase a new SUV when their present mode of transportation can be considered adequate. Should the rest of the readers take a austere, disapproving stance against them and the designer of the SUV for excessive extravagant spending before all world social deficits are rectified? Why should a double standard apply to the government and not the individuals and their behavior?

Individuals are better suited to solving social problems, the government’s function is/was to pool the resources and the will of the people for projects that are too extensive to otherwise be accomplish.

Note: The Apollo mission has added an estimated 300 trillion US dollars to the world economy (25.4 billion dollar investment), the technologies are responsible for saving tens of millions of lives, and accelerated technology an estimated 15 years ahead of where it would have been.

[Doum]

I agree with Martin and Dr. Skeptic,

Humand kind have to go out and now. If all countries give 1% of is income and put it into a common pot then space can be a home very fast.

City on the moon can be build from the earth by radio control. No need to send many human at first. Just¸send the payloader and tractor and mini factory and machinery at first then use the heat of the sun to melt the mineral that is already on the moon. Once the machinery is over there the cost will stop. That way you can build city with the people living here on earth by using radio control. A second in light year distance aint a problem with radio communication. From the dirt you can produce oxygen, iron, titanium and collect hydrogen from mineral and also carbon (I think that all the elements that exist can be extract from that dirt with solar collector.). From all these element it is possible to produce anything, from water to plastic to fuel (Fuel can be liquid aluminium with oxygen or the hydrogen that hav been detect on the pole of the moon inside a crater.). The moon need a first investment then it will grow by itself at very low cost. All this material can also be sent to earth orbit a lot more cheaply too (Weak gravity of the moon).

I say a lot but i read a lot. May be it is possible to use the rock on the moon to build burried dome and fill its inner wall interior with a tiny plastic film and then air. Or seal a cavern and fill it with air. There will always be problem on earth and the best way to solve them is with the development of technology and the expansion of humandkind.

As for mars, there are water there and everything needed to survive. Once there, i think it will be easyer to survive. Again we need a boost of investment at first to start the process of colonisation and the rest will follow.
By the way, it does not take 2 years to go there but 6 to 8 months with classic chemical rocket engine. Hmmm the window of launch does come each 2 years. Using chemical pulse detonation engine (If the technology is develop, wich appear to be.) might double the specific impulse of a chemical rocket engine and will reduce the time in space travel. Rotating ship to create artificial gravity seem the easyest way to go there.
Also nuclear engine seem the best solution. The solid core will be use at first then the liquid core and may be some day the gaz core. Each of these reactor increase the speed of a ship. It may take only 1 month or less to go there. (Yes it's a dream for now but hey all this aint my idea. They are made by scientist and engineer who says it is feasible right now if humandkind want it. I beleive it.

There will always be problem on earth between human. Mostly because of religion. History is fill with religion war. Waiting to solve it is a dream. Yes we should try to solve it as they happen but we also should try to expand in the solar system with the same amount of effort. That way human kind will prevail.

Dont forget that once the installation is done in space, trillion of dollards will come from it in benefit. There are a trillion time more money there to make then it is possible to do here on earth.

[BMAONE23]

I found an image of Standing Water on MARS http://www.bloganything.net/2006/10/29/ ... ars-found/

[Pete]

That was an APOD almost 2 years ago
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050401.html

[BMAONE23]

Thanks Pete, I missed that one!!!

[Dr. Skeptic]

NASA has recently determined that the substance flowing the crater's edge is not H2O. Using more sophisticated cameras the reflected light does not match the properties of H2O, and the light colored material has not shown signs of sublimation over the last year.

[Sputnick]

Knowing next to nothing about C02 - could it flow as a liquid on Mars for a short enough duration to cause erosion resembling water erosion? I am not suggesting for a second, though, that water does not exist on Mars .. there is plenty of it.

About maned versus robot - why do people think they know what is best for the other guy when they don't know what is best for themselves? Freedom is a nice concept.

[bystander]

Carbon dioxide exists as a liquid only at pressures above 5 atm (1 atm = standard pressure of air on earth at sea level at normal temperatures). On Mars, CO2 would go directly from solid to gas, or gas to solid.

[Sputnick]

NASA has recently determined that the substance flowing the crater's edge is not H2O. Using more sophisticated cameras the reflected light does not match the properties of H2O, and the light colored material has not shown signs of sublimation over the last year.

Yes! Alcohol flowing on Mars! Martian Coolers!

[Martin]

Freedom is one of the greatest things but how much freedom should one have at the expense of others? Are we a nation by individual or a nation by majority?

"Nasa -To the moon, mars and beyond" Manned missions on the horizon!