Long Term Space Enviroment.

[KickAssClown]

I have read in a few places about using a fluid enviroment for space travel it has a number of disadvantages but it's advantages, to me, clearly out pace the traditional Air Enviroment of modern day Space craft.

I admit that the bio-engineering of it, to get Equalibriums just right would be daunting, as would the designing of the ship itself for such an enviroment.

However, Air won't give you the resistance liquid will. A liquid (not-water, but fluid preferably that oxidizes the lungs and doesn't make you all wrinkly) enviroment will provide resistance, you litterally have to swim around the ship, which will help with the exercise regime that one would have to keep for such a trip. Also in the case that the fluid servers the purpose of breathing enviroment it will cause you to breath deeply and evenly.

I know there is a lot of attachment to our air enviroment, but it's not looking fesible in space. An air Enviro doesn't give the same advantages that a Fluid one does. No need for artificial Gravity for a Fluid Enviroment.

Any other types to address these problems?
Star Troubles

[Boerseun]

I think the point is moot. There might be loads of benefits, but the added weight you'll have to lug into space kinda makes it impractical. Besides, the only benefit would be for high-g maneouvers, which normally are brief because of fuel constraints.

[Jay-qu]

well to continue this conversation...

Imagine trying to breathe in and out a liquid as dense as water, your lungs wouldnt cope, no matter how much 'exercises' you do.

[Boerseun]

Yes... back on topic.

Seen the movie "The Abyss"? I seem to recall some sort of fluid they had to breathe to withstand high pressure in deep water.

The upside in breathing a fluid medium, I think, would be that you could breathe a lot less for the same oxygen intake, provided the mix contains a lot of the stuff. Seeing as its a lot denser, it might just be possible. I don't know.

But, bottom line - our lungs were made to exchange gas in a gas medium. Else we'd have gills. I guess...

[UncleAl]

The only fluids with a chance for dissolving enough oxygen/volume to keep a human going are silicone oil and fluorocarbon ether oils. Lungs will blow out from the effort of moving enough fluid. Liquid breathers have gills.

Your body is a terrible mess for shedding moisture, dead skin cells, and hair. Your gastrointestinal tract is a avid gas producer. It will not accept being filled wth water-immiscible fluids. What did sucrose polyester do to consumers? Do you want to breathe that in? Do you want to be breathing the stuff that leaches out from your electronics?

Your eyes are protected by aqueous tears, meibomian lipid over the tears, and mucin over the conjunctiva under the tears. None of that will be happy given prolonged immersion.

The added weight for a fluid-filled spaceship is ridiculous.

[Boerseun]

True, Unc.

I imagine if you were living in a fluid medium, you'd wanna box the first bastard who peed in the pool! You have to breathe the stuff! And then farting, which makes water acidic...

Nah - gimme air any time.

[KickAssClown]

Well you don't have to fill the whol ship, you could do pod type things for brief High rate Acceleration, if nessessary. Obviously the fluid would have to be scrubbed periodically(continiously), just like air. Of course you would have to keep very clean, but that has to go on anyway. Though you have some very valid points.

What other methods would you purpose for long term (5 Years - 100 Years +) space trips? Like I said I am very dubious about air enviroments being ultimately feasible without some extreame engineering feats of the Sci-Fi purportion. To transport colonist, I am not talking small like exploration vessels either. I am talking ships which will house people for generations so that we can get to other systems(nearest one I know of, Alpha centauri, 4.6 Light years.).

[Jay-qu]

What good will it do you been in a liquid medium for 5 years.. that would mess you up - also what do you do while your in there, be a tad on the boring side

[EWright]

and what would you eat in this environment? fish? and no cooked meals on this 100 year plus voyage?

perhaps we can bioengineer amphibious humanoids to take the voyage and report back.

[KickAssClown]

Well I figure it either that or.

1) We don't go anywhere, but send seed ships manned by machines to develop human colonist on a suitable planet from stored DNA, AKA ArK Ships.

2) We re-engineer ( not all of) ourselves via genetic, or mechanical augementation. To be more adapted for the rigors of long term space voyages.

3) We shed the Bio-shell, and become machines.

There are other alternatives, I think, but I have not thought about them yet. This thread is not just for the fluid enviro that I suggest, but for other methods of suriviving, and thriving in deep space operations for extended periods of time.