My great-grandma would never have believed we would go to the moon. Have we reached the extent of our ability or will our need to survive push us to leave the comfort of our planet and travel through space for nearly four years to reach Mars. Is it physically possible and who will be the ones to go will they be the lucky few or will the lucky ones be left here and the less fortnate shipped out there.
2006-06-06 05:03:26 · 18 answers · asked by Linda R 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Your Dad is obviously wrong from the simple fact that he is your Dad. That makes him wrong. That is his role in life. It's what he was born for.
2006-06-06 05:17:47 · answer #1 · answered by scotsman 5 · 6⤊ 8⤋
Mars has a thin atmosphere because of its low surface gravity. That means giving it an atmosphere like in the movie Total Recall will probably never happen. On the other hand, people like live inside buildings pretty much anywhere. There is enough light reaching mars to support solar power and greenhouses. That means a colony could be built there that is self sustaining. We have the technology already. It's simply a matter of who wants to pay for it. I don't envision a mass exudus from Earth to Mars for two reasons. One, is that Earth is much better for human life and will be for quite a while. Two, is that there would be a gigantic exense for each person's travel.
2006-06-06 05:36:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right and your Dad is wrong (sorry Dad).
The colony would not be very comfortable, but we could do it with today's technology. The problem is not the colony itself, but rather how to get people there and keep them alive once they are there.
As things are, they would almost certainly die either from prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation on the way (the guys who are in Space Lab have the benefit of the magnetosphere which keeps the worst of the baddies out) or from starvation or thirst unless we can work out a way to keep them fed and watered for the trip and supplied when they are there.
The firsts one is not as far off as you might think, might be in my lifetime.
However, a real colony, where no life support or external supply is necessary, may be impractical. I saw a reference to terraforming (funny name for creating an atmophere, when you think about it. Its got nothing to do with earth or Earth, it has to do with air) : we have no idea how to do that, thats pure SF at the moment.
That will be a long way off.
So the first ones will be the usual astronauts : ultra fit, intelligent, dedicated to science and adventure and who don't mind putting their lives at serious risk. I wouldn't necessarily call them lucky
2006-06-06 06:50:37 · answer #3 · answered by The_Otter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have planned to colonise Mars and we will start sending people to Mars.
Although Mars is inhabitable we will have domes, underground facilities and cities in safe areas. The wild cloud-less tornadoes (cyclones) rip through the deserts and other phenomenon in unsafe areas make Mars inhabitable.
I'm sure we will make it happen.
Let's see, but a moon base on the moon soon as a hotel, droids on the ISS (International Space Station.
All is promising!
2006-06-07 03:56:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We already have the technology to colonize mars. What we lack is the socio-economic will to do so. It's actually more difficult to send a submarine to the bottom of the ocean, than to put a ship into outer space. It's doubtfull we'll see a colony on Mars in our lifetime, as it would take a definate threat to the biosphere on earth to motivate the various countries to make that big an investmant.
2006-06-06 12:18:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As the previous poster said, because of Mars' gravity, it cannot hold on to a thick atmosphere, not for very long anyway, so it is not practical to even attempt to terraform it on a large scale.
It is theoretically possible to put a colony there, however we'd need a very good reason to do it. It would be a mighty and expensive task to send all the needed equipment to build even a small colony there.
2006-06-06 13:21:11 · answer #6 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How will we get there
We are already running out of oil on this planet - It will soon (in a few decades) become so expensive that many things we rely on would have to be sacrificed to get there - so if we find a new bountiful energy source then yes we will - otherwise I doubt it very much.
2006-06-06 11:11:10 · answer #7 · answered by trevb1256 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are able to colonize Mars today. But the cost involved would be, and you'll pardon the pun, astronomical.
Better to spend the money here on Earth, where there are so many problems to be solved right now...
2006-06-06 05:31:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anything is possible, according to quantum mechanics. But the question is how likely it is and when it is going to happen. I think that we can go to Mars 50-100 years into the future, but it won't be easy and it will be very dangerous.
2006-06-06 05:07:01 · answer #9 · answered by anonymous 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes,one day it will be possible to colonise mars as the scientist are planning for it .
2006-06-06 05:06:57 · answer #10 · answered by rock star 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a maybe! It takes many money and good technology to live out there, like a baby that has now been born, it takes some days for it to get used to the atmosphere and to breath as every human. :)
2006-06-07 03:08:53 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋