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EdwardHeisler

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Registered: 2017-09-20

Posts: 357

Video: "The First Humans on Mars" Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

Video: European Space Foundation "The First Humans on Mars" Interview with Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

0:00 – Introduction
1:57 – How to conquer Mars and not call it Plan B?
7:24 – When the first cities will be built on Mars?
11:25 – Where people go next after Mars?
14:47 – What is The Mars Society
18:29 – How Elon Musk’s career in space started
22:47 – Future of The Mars Society
24:03 – Robert Zubrin as an inventor
28:47 - Robert’s own road to the space sector
36:49 - Advice for people passionate about the space sector

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCIt9pa3daM

Mars_B4_Moon

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Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Video: "The First Humans on Mars" Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

Why We Should Settle Mars, Space exploration will bring us inventions that benefit humanity. And it will help us avoid war. by Robert Zubrin

https://quillette.com/2023/12/04/why-we … o-to-mars/

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-12-05 12:42:56)

Calliban

Member

From: Northern England, UK

Registered: 2019-08-18

Posts: 3,793

Re: Video: "The First Humans on Mars" Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

The idea of Earth's resources being infinite is absurd.  Below is a link showing the abundance of elements in Earth's crust.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Earth's_crust

Take the example of copper.  Ore grades have been dropping steadily and the average ore is now 0.6% copper.  This is 6000ppm.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_extraction

Compare this to average crustal rocks which have avedage concentration 20ppm.  To produce 1kg of copper from basalt would require mining and processing 300x as much rock as even low grade copper ore.  That means 300x as much energy cost, 300x as much equipment needed and 300x as much damage to the natural environment.  Many elements are even rarer.

Last edited by Calliban (2023-12-05 11:22:34)

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"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

tahanson43206

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Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,394

Re: Video: "The First Humans on Mars" Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

For Calliban .... Thanks for responding to Dr. Zubrin's declaration of abundance.

Your response suggests to me there must be a dramatic difference in how the two of you "see" the Universe ...

I would like to point out that not ONE of the copper atoms with which the Earth is endowed is missing from the billion year old collection, with the single exception of copper that has been sent away from the planet on various space vehicles.

Your perception of limitation and scarcity is a recurring theme in your posts.

It is possible that the two ways of seeing the Universe are incompatible.

One thing is for sure!  As you argue metaphorically with the folks at the CATO Institute and now with Dr. Zubrin, you are providing us readers with the opportunity to compare and contrast, and to try to find a way of understanding the two points of view.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Video: "The First Humans on Mars" Dr. Robert Zubrin June 7, 2021

The article maybe in a ways is political and not an article of true pure science and math but I think I know where Robert Zubrin is coming from, I had read many of his writing and watched some of his talks. He often talks about re-use of material, recycling products and future energy possibilities like a 'Fusion' reactor in these new ways you can reuse raw materials. The product reused over and over again like 'Iron' or 'Water' is reused like water goes to recycling system on a submarine or material reused on the ISS, in a colony sodium, nitrogen, sulfur, aluminium or Iron 'Fe' is used again and again, no material is cancelled out like Anti-Matter any Water or Iron is recycled with heat and energy, which are transformed into resources through human creativity. The Planet Mars compared to the Moon or Asteroids will have more 'resources' and Earth has far more resources although the word 'infinite' or infinity or  infinitely more may not be scientifically accurate words to use. In a perfect system of converting waste materials into new materials and objects, everything will be put to use again and as Tahanson says not one of copper atoms has gone missing.