Teraforming Mars

[ryan2006]

Nanocomputers programed to create an atomosphere, soil,ect...within the next 50 years I'd guess.

[Eclogite]

That is quite an expectation. Considering it will have taken us fifty years to move from our first suite of landings on the moon, to our second.
Not to mention the current absence of any effective nanotechnology devices.

How do you envisage these nanobots will create the atmosphere? What composition do you envisage for the atmosphere? How do you plan to source the organic material for the soils?

I am not disputing that one day we will have the capacity to Terraform Mars. Conventional wisdom says this would take several hundred, possibly even a few thousand, years. At heart, the root of all my questions is, what makes you believe it is possible in a fraction of that time, and in the immediate future.

[sergey500]

Hm? What are you trying to point out? Just a predicition? I am confused, why nanocomputers? We have that now, I like the idea from ... I forgot which movie, fill the Mars will algea or something like that. That would probably work if it it wasn't for the ever so weakening gravity and without it the atmopshere won't last.

Say, will melting the mars ice caps be a bad idea? Is the soil there even usuable?

[TheBigDog]

Originally Posted by sergey500

Hm? What are you trying to point out? Just a predicition? I am confused, why nanocomputers? We have that now, I like the idea from ... I forgot which movie, fill the Mars will algea or something like that. That would probably work if it it wasn't for the ever so weakening gravity and without it the atmopshere won't last.

Say, will melting the mars ice caps be a bad idea? Is the soil there even usuable?

Weakening gravity?

The problems I see are the fact that there is no electromagnetic field to speak of on Mars to protect from solar radiation. You need enough mass to build an atmosphere that is sustainable. And you need to deal with the fact that it is so freaking desolate, and not getting any better. Unless there are large underground deposits of water, oxygen and nitrogen that can be used to create a working sustainable habitable atmosphere the whole deal is probably hopeless.

Blue sky on mars? First you need a total recall of its past resources that have likely evaporated into space.

Bill

[sergey500]

C**p. I can not believe I made that mistake. Thanks for pointing it out, yes weakning eletromagnetic field, it has one, it dieing out (Discovery Channel, I don't remember details, ask them, not me or google, I can be totally wrong, seems I am not thinking right today...). But wait, I did say its getting worse not better, what are you talking about?? Blue skies? I never mentioned that, no one did. I am confused, what are you refering to? . . .

[TheBigDog]

Movie reference... Total Recall.

Bill

[sergey500]

Oh, I am sorry. I really didn't remember the movie, the one with Arnold...Oh yeah...Thanks for clearing that up. Feeling less confused.

[InfiniteNow]

Don't forget Sharon Stone too...

[Stargazer]

With the lack of public and political support of space exploration and colonisation, we'll be lucky to see a manned mission within 50 years. A full-scale terraformation of Mars is not to be expected before that, and not very soon after the first landing. To terraform a planet will require planning and detailed exploration of the planet, advanced simulation models, etc., not to mention public support and resources to which only a more mature interplanetary civilisation would have access.