I read that Mars once had very active volcano's, and that there is the possiblity that there are hundreds of miles worth of lava tubes under the suface of Mars that could possibly be used as habitats for Martian colonists, and that habitats build in lava tubes would protect the shelters from micro-meteor stikes and the thick volcanic stone would deflect a great deal of solar and cosmic radiation. Hypothetheticaly would this be a much better place to build a Martain colony?
2007-04-08 19:36:56 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Mars is a lot like Earth in many ways. If any of the volcanoes are even slightly active it could pose as a threat to anyone or anything living in the lava tubes. Even dormant volcanoes can fall victim to magma build up (but as it is on earth: very unlikely anytime soon).
I like the idea. I have never thought about the volcanoes in connection to possible matian life. But I still believe that if we do find life there it will be in the form of a bacteria or microorganism.
2007-04-08 19:47:29 · answer #1 · answered by shadedtint 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it does sound like a good idea. the hard part would be getting down to the lava tubes. no matter what we would still have to get to mars, find out where the tubes are, determine if they are safe and then dig down to them and build the colony., once the tube colony is established then everyone could get off of the surface and hide in them. logically it would be a good place to live, or at least better than the surface.
2007-04-09 12:08:54 · answer #2 · answered by Tim C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If lava tubes actually exist there, it could save some construction costs. Mars did indeed have active volcanoes; Olympus Mons is thought to be the largest volcano in the solar system (it utterly dwarfs anything on earth).
2007-04-09 02:41:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The issue would be whether the effort required to dig down to them outweighed the savings in construction and radiation shielding over building an above-ground habitat. If so, the I suppose it would be worth doing.
2007-04-09 05:13:03 · answer #4 · answered by Ian I 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps the next mission or probe should include a visit to one of these lava tubes. If it is true, they may be useful. At least initially.
2007-04-09 04:06:37 · answer #5 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋