Color of the Mars Hab

Phobos · 2002-07-21 12:20:26

I browsed over some images of the arctic Mars Hab and noticed that they painted the hab the same color as the snow. It would be a pity to get caught in a snow storm or be so far away that the hab just blended into the environment and you lost the ability to find your way back to it. I think the color of the hab should contrast greatly with the colors of the environments on Mars so it's easier to see from a distance and in dust storms should one arise. Equipment like rovers and spacesuits should probably contrast with the red sky and ground to. God forbid if they paint everything red or orange.

Byron · 2002-07-22 05:04:42

I browsed over some images of the arctic Mars Hab and noticed that they painted the hab the same color as the snow. It would be a pity to get caught in a snow storm or be so far away that the hab just blended into the environment and you lost the ability to find your way back to it. I think the color of the hab should contrast greatly with the colors of the environments on Mars so it's easier to see from a distance and in dust storms should one arise. Equipment like rovers and spacesuits should probably contrast with the red sky and ground to. God forbid if they paint everything red or orange.

I agree... Maybe this is the color they're planning to use on Mars? It would stand out fairly well on the Martian surface...but I think they should stick with neon or "day-glo" greens or blues...that would really stand out against the rust-colored background.

Getting lost on Mars will be more a problem than here on Earth simply because of the tight horizon...just couple of kilometers will put objects such as rovers out of sight, and the sameness of the terrain (assuming the landing takes place in a "safe" area..a nice, flat, monotonous landscape) will make it quite easy to become disoriented..not a good thing when you're in a suit with a limited air supply.

It'd be a really good idea to have those GPS satellites in orbit around Mars before first landing takes place....

B

Phobos · 2002-07-22 19:57:27

A neon blue or green hab would look cool. NASA should try getting away from its black/white boring rut and get creative with some of its paint jobs. Maybe they should commission an artist to paint a scene on it in very visible colors or maybe have a bunch of kindegarteners put hand prints all over it.

PaganToris · 2002-07-28 10:21:13

I thank the only reason why they did that was to be camoflouged from those DAMN HOSTILE ALIENS.
AND "PHOBOS" HOW DARE U TRY TO RISK THE LIVES OF ASTRONAUTS!

Palomar · 2002-07-28 10:41:50

A neon blue or green hab would look cool. NASA should try getting away from its black/white boring rut and get creative with some of its paint jobs. Maybe they should commission an artist to paint a scene on it in very visible colors or maybe have a bunch of kindegarteners put hand prints all over it.

*I was thinking along the lines of blue and green as well...but ::aquatic:: blues and greens, not neons.

And Phobos, I love your idea of the hab being covered with the handprints of kindergarteners. After all, children are the future...

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2002-07-28 17:42:20

8% of males and 0.5% of females are what is known as red/green colour deficient. This is a far better way of describing this condition than colour blind, since "colour blind" conjures up images of black-and-white movies and people imagine that's what a "colour blind" person sees.
In fact people with red/green deficiency have green photoreceptors in their retinas which have peak activity at a slightly different wavelength than those in a colour normal person.
In case you were wondering, yes I'm one of the 8% of males with this abnormality. And yes, grass looks very green to me! Goodness knows how it must look to a colour normal person because sometimes a field of grass looks brilliant green to me! It must knock your socks off if you're colour normal!!
The first people to Mars will not be red/green deficient, of course. Careful selection will ensure that only the fittest specimens we have will be sent. But the red/green defect is carried by the female (i.e. it is a sex-linked characteristic) and is remarkably common. A female carrying the defective gene will, in most cases, not exhibit the abnormality but will pass it on to her children ... some of whom, particularly the males, will turn out red/green deficient.
In other words, a Martian colony will soon have people with red/green deficiency.
One of the chief problems with this defect is detecting small areas of green against a background of red, unless the green is especially bright and contrasts very well against the red. On Mars, this might translate into difficulties seeing a green painted hab at a great distance, against the background of red Martian rocks.
I would suggest only a fluorescent yellowy green should be used, if green is used at all. Or perhaps a vivid blue. Actually, against red rocks and a salmon sky, white may be the safest choice for everybody!! Sorry to be a wet blanket!

Phobos · 2002-07-30 20:14:59

Ouch, I forgot about color blindness. Yeah green habs and red terrain might turn out to be a colorblind person's worse nightmare. I still think we should spice up the habs somehow, we'll just make sure the kindegartners can't choose red or green as colors when they do their artistic creations on the hab. I agree with Cindy, we need to get many generations involved in such grand missions.

I thank the only reason why they did that was to be camoflouged from those DAMN HOSTILE ALIENS.
AND "PHOBOS" HOW DARE U TRY TO RISK THE LIVES OF ASTRONAUTS!

I had no idea we were at war with Martians! :0

Palomar · 2002-07-31 09:30:09

8% of males and 0.5% of females are what is known as red/green colour deficient. This is a far better way of describing this condition than colour blind, since "colour blind" conjures up images of black-and-white movies and people imagine that's what a "colour blind" person sees.

*Okay, so we'll paint the habs a bright, sparkly SILVER [ought to catch the sun's rays really well] and have Kindergarteners put their handprints in bright, sparkly GOLD to contrast. Any problems with this?

--Cindy

clark · 2002-07-31 09:50:11

5 year olds in small space suits making handprints in a vacum on the side of a martian base/colony?

Doesn't that strike you as unwise?

It seems that "color" in an issue for identifying purposes- don't want the color-blind to get lost in the martian desert.

Why not have a giant light at the top of any base- a solid beam that shoots straight up into the sky. Every base/colony becomes a lighthouse. Get lost, just follow the light (not trying to preach )

Afterall, Mars will be nothing but a sea of black interspersed with little islands of light. Humans would be the ships that sail between them...

Palomar · 2002-07-31 09:59:32

5 year olds in small space suits making handprints in a vacum on the side of a martian base/colony?
Doesn't that strike you as unwise?

*Ay carrumba!

The hab will be painted these colors ON EARTH, with the handprints made by children HERE, BEFORE the habs go to Mars!

--Cindy

Phobos · 2002-07-31 20:45:11

5 year olds in small space suits making handprints in a vacum on the side of a martian base/colony?
Doesn't that strike you as unwise?

For Christsakes Clark, whoever said anything about sending five year olds to Mars? You know, it wouldn't be to difficult for them to do their decorative endeavours here on Earth before launching the mission! :0

Josh Cryer · 2002-07-31 21:01:52

Orange is actually the most visible color (if I recall correctly), but since Mars is red, we'd have trouble seeing it, admittedly. Why don't we just expand clark's idea for daylight and let the habs be any color we want?

If we had a rotating strobe that reflected sunlight, and a spotlight for nighttime, we'd be set, really. The only problem is overcast, but since overcast would be synonymous with dust storm, you aren't going to want to be out wandering around anyway. And then, you're not going to be using visual identifiers... you'll have GPS or something along those lines.

Palomar · 2002-07-31 21:12:32

Orange is actually the most visible color (if I recall correctly), but since Mars is red, we'd have trouble seeing it, admittedly. Why don't we just expand clark's idea for daylight and let the habs be any color we want?

*This transmission just in from International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: "I want a psychadelic paisley pattern for the outside of my hab, baby -- yeah! Lots of purples and greens and oranges and yellows all swirled together, it's going to be one far-out shagadelic hab; GROOVY BABY!"

I second this!

--Cindy

PaganToris · 2002-08-02 11:08:30

Actualy if i see corectly white is the most visable color but i would like to see a NEON GREEN AND NEON ORANE hab that would look so awsome and the kindergartners handprints good idea i mean dont get me wrong thats a tramendise idea but i was thnxing mre along the lines of maybe Cat Hand prints or dogs somethng like that or evan better my Rat HENRY paw prints would make a Hab look GREAT.

As u see the dark lines of all humanity u see nothing at all but a wourld of Hate and discuss. But as u see the white lines all u see is Love and getting along

Phobos · 2002-08-02 19:45:25

PaganToris maybe we should turn the hab on its side and release your rat and a cat on the hab at the same time. That should produce a nice random assortment of paw prints. Naw I wouldn't endanger anybody's beloved rat like that. Maybe we should just do as Cindy mentioned and deck ourselves out in hippie garb and paint psychadelic flowers and madalas all over it! MAke love not war!!

Palomar · 2002-08-03 10:24:47

Maybe we should just do as Cindy mentioned and deck ourselves out in hippie garb and paint psychadelic flowers and madalas all over it! MAke love not war!!

*And love beads...don't forget the love beads. I want my hab DRIPPING with love beads!

--Cindy

"Lava Lamp Power!"

Phobos · 2002-08-03 21:48:53

Oh yeah, can't go without the beads. The Martian love mobile wouldn't be groovy without the beads.

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#1 2002-07-21 12:20:26

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#2 2002-07-22 05:04:42

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#3 2002-07-22 19:57:27

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#4 2002-07-28 10:21:13

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#5 2002-07-28 10:41:50

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#6 2002-07-28 17:42:20

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#7 2002-07-30 20:14:59

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#8 2002-07-31 09:30:09

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#9 2002-07-31 09:50:11

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#10 2002-07-31 09:59:32

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#11 2002-07-31 20:45:11

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#12 2002-07-31 21:01:52

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#13 2002-07-31 21:12:32

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#14 2002-08-02 11:08:30

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#15 2002-08-02 19:45:25

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#16 2002-08-03 10:24:47

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

#17 2002-08-03 21:48:53

Re: Color of the Mars Hab

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