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Having Fusion Reactors on Mars might no longer be a science fiction story of the far future?
https://interestingengineering.com/nucl … sma-record
'A nuclear fusion device pushes plasma to a record-breaking 100 million degrees'
Scientists want to farm oxygen from the Martian soil
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/oxyg … tian-soil/
Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-03-12 07:30:47)
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NASA wants to put nuclear reactor on the moon, hopes to support lunar life
https://nypost.com/2022/06/26/nasa-want … -the-moon/
The space agency and the US Department of Energy have selected three design concept proposals
A Deep Dive Into Why China Still Believes In Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles - The Autopian
https://www.theautopian.com/a-deep-dive … d-vehicles
Electricity generation, it might be one day exotic science like Fusion, it could be Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, the many methods making of electricity for use by machine, people, robots. For now it mostly comes from rotary electrical generators turned by various power engines. Electrochemistry is the direct transformation of chemical energy into electricity, as in a battery. Electrochemical electricity generation is important in portable and mobile applications, engines, battery and even power plants might one day all be transportable on Mars. Electrochemical power comes from batteries, cells, such as the common zinc–carbon batteries are power sources directly, but secondary rechargeable cells batteries can used for storage systems rather than primary generation systems. Open electrochemical systems, known as fuel cells, can be used to extract power either from natural fuels or from synthesized fuels. Unlike the solar heat concentrates, photovoltaic panels convert direct sunlight directly to electricity. Although sunlight is free, solar panels are an expensive product to send all the way to Mars, a lot of money to make and dust will damage the Solar power output. With access to other chemistry and farming and liquids here is a chemical to power process and Osmotic power is a possibility at places where salt and fresh water merge, many break through are happening each month now with new records being set in 'Fusion' tech while current Nuclear power plants create electricity through the process of nuclear fission.
Space Bubbles: Because If We Won't Stop Burning Fossil Fuels, We Better Have A Backup
https://cleantechnica.com/2022/06/20/sp … ckup-plan/
Architect Carlo Ratti and a group of MIT researchers are exploring the feasibility of cooling the Earth with a conglomeration of “space bubbles” that would reflect the sun’s rays away from the planet below and send them into deep space. What they call the Space Bubbles project proposes floating a “raft” made of frozen bubbles at the L1 Lagrangian Point, about 1.5 million kilometers above the Earth. That’s the place between the Earth and the sun where their gravitational pulls cancel each other out and objects could float for eternity in splendid equipoise. The bubbles would be made of a thin film material and manufactured in space where, when interconnected, they would cover an area roughly the size of Brazil, according to Dezeen.
Renewables Become Leader in Grid Resilience: Decentralized Approach to Disaster Recovery
https://twitter.com/Zxcxz_xyz/status/15 … 8521889792
Hyundai CE Introducing Hydrogen
https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/hyundai … s-in-2023/
Pee-powered vehicles are finally making a splash
https://thenextweb.com/news/ammonia-is- … t-vehicles
Should have used more nails?
How Many Potatoes Does It Take To Run video game DOOM?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFDlVgBMomQ
Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-06-26 09:51:50)
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For Mars_B4_Moon re #177
Thanks for the link to the work at MIT on "space bubbles" at L1.
That's one of the more interesting proposals that have shown up.
The Mars analog is the reverse .... a structure at the Mars L1 might be designed to increase the flow of photons.
That would be a "huge" convex lens, for sure!
It might be more practical to set up convex lens that are smaller, and just make a lot of them.
(th)
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Small nuclear reactors finally get US approval, but they still have a lot to prove
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Steam power in enclosed spaces may be possible
https://youtu.be/J7CDvOgOTvY
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The elments have impacted the Chinese Rover mission
maybe China's Rover can wake up if wind cleans it and it gets a warmer summer?
'no updates of Zhurong from CNSA, but finally we have someone from the research team and close to the space administration spoke up. Professor XU Yo of Macau University: Zhurong is covered with sand and dust'
https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/statu … 5665420288
NASA satellite orbiter photos also previously confirmed the Rover is almost the same color as Mars itself
Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-03-14 17:57:35)
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Not good to go it with only solar.
On another note, I am having a hard time calculating all forms of energy that we use back into a single common energy type such as KWhrs. Since we use power or energy in mostly peaks where the average is taken as a daily consumed no matter in what form we use.
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Lockheed Martin and BWX Technologies
https://www.geekwire.com/2023/darpa-and … ar-rocket/
The Nuclear Thermal Rocket That Could Get Us to Mars in Just 45 Days
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/ … n-45-days/
Making Martian rocket biofuel on Mars
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 … 122016.htm
New study outlines biotechnology process to produce rocket fuel on red planet
That perhaps dead China Rover?
So here is an interesting item you will not get much power from this but it seems like the Chinese were warming up their Mars Rover with Hydrocarbon or Liquid alkane hydrocarbon they used Undecane also known as hendecane a liquid alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH 3 (CH 2) 9 CH 3 alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH₃(CH₂)₉CH₃. also used as a mild sex attractant for various types of moths and cockroaches.
Zhurong Mars rover has a "hot water bottle". Two skylights, known as heat-collecting windows, are covered with a high-transparency film. Beneath, a material called Undecane melts by day, absorbing heat, and solidifies at night, releasing warmth.
https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher/status/ … 2437042552
Tianwen-1 and Zhurong were successful missions but now the Rover seems dead, killed by Martian 'Dust' perhaps, from the last photos we got to see a significant level of dust on the solar array and mast.
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NASA is Getting the Plutonium it Needs for Future Missions
https://www.universetoday.com/164407/na … -missions/
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) have a long history of service in space exploration. Since the first was tested in space in 1961, RTGs have gone on to be used by 31 NASA missions, including the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Packages (ALSEPs) delivered by the Apollo astronauts to the lunar surface. RTGs have also powered the Viking 1 and 2 missions to Mars, the Ulysses mission to the Sun, Galileo mission to Jupiter, and the Pioneer, Voyager, and New Horizons missions to the outer Solar System – which are currently in (or well on their way to) interstellar space.
In recent years, RTGs have allowed the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers to continue the search for evidence of past (and maybe present) life on Mars. In the coming years, these nuclear batteries will power more astrobiology missions, like the Dragonfly mission that will explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. In recent years, there has been concern that NASA was running low on Plutonium-238, the key component for RTGs. Luckily, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently delivered a large shipment of plutonium oxide, putting it on track to realize its goal of regular production of the radioisotopic materia
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good that it came from our own sources this time
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For SpaceNut re electrical fittings in the garage on Mars.
A solution is to decide upon a single electrical system for Mars.
This would require negotiation before any Nation lands on Mars.
We have international standards for many aspects of modern society.
Setting up standards for Mars seems possible before the kind of mess you've described occurs.
In the mean time, you have the power to simply declare what fixtures your be, and continue with your garage plan.
(th)
Another fishbone topic of power
And yet with standards we still power things with different battery voltages, transmit AC power in 50 and 60 cycles, Single phase AC with ranges, Multi phase is a number of phase angle relationships, high voltage DV and AC transmission lines, ect.. Mars will use all as we do here.
This brings up the next fishbone topic Power Distribution by pipelines on Mars.
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SpaceNut ... it is important for someone to make decisions for everyone else.
The endless proliferation of possible designs has been a terrible drain on human progress in the past.
You have the power to put an end to it, by simply deciding upon a standard for the planet.
Please do so.
There is no need to keep going without an established standard.
This situation is much like the question of how large to make the garage.
The answer is to build the garage and people who want to use it will size their equipment to fit.
Because you are first, you are in position to make these decisions for the billions of humans who will come later.
(th)
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They are earth safety standards for consumer use...
The specifics are based on wiring diagramming of how the power is to be used which is from the interface circuit breaker box system that you should be aware of.
For a Mars garage, power systems need reliability in dust and cold, likely combining solar arrays with advanced batteries (like Lithium-ion or supercapacitors) for peak loads and consistent energy, supplemented by Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) or future Nuclear Fission Reactors for baseline power, especially during dust storms and night, alongside energy storage and distribution systems (PMAD) to manage variable demands for tools and habitat functions.
Primary Power Sources
Solar Arrays (Photovoltaics): Efficient when sunlight is available but challenged by dust accumulation and reduced intensity during Martian winter/storms, requiring regular cleaning.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs): Use natural decay of plutonium to generate continuous heat and electricity, providing reliable, long-term power independent of sunlight, excellent for baseline needs.
Nuclear Fission Reactors: For larger, sustained power needs (like industrial processes or larger habitats), small fission reactors offer high power output but require significant shielding for radiation.
Energy Storage & Management
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (like those used on rovers) handle peak power demands, while advanced alternatives like graphene supercapacitors offer faster charging and wider temperature tolerance.
Power Management & Distribution (PMAD): Essential systems to convert, condition, and distribute power from sources to loads, handling start-up, shutdown, and dynamic events.
Supporting Technologies
Waste Heat Utilization: Nuclear systems produce excess heat, which can be converted to electricity or used for habitat/regolith heating, improving efficiency.
In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): Solar concentrators could use sunlight for heating and 3D printing/sintering, potentially reducing reliance on pure PV cells.
Advanced Motors/Generators: Electric motors are preferred over combustion engines due to simplicity; next-gen storage like supercapacitors could revolutionize rapid power delivery.
Considerations for a Mars Garage
Dust Mitigation: Systems to clean solar panels and protect equipment from fine dust are crucial.
Thermal Management: Dealing with extreme cold (using waste heat or electrical heaters) is vital for equipment and battery health.
Scalability: A mix of sources (solar for peak, nuclear for baseline) offers the best resilience, from small tools to large fabricators
As you can see they are not standard
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SpaceNut ... this is ** your ** opportunity to define the standard for Mars.
No one else has done so.
This is your opportunity to find the best system for that planet and publish it.
Once you've defined your garage customers will know what to design to, including what adapters to use with their specific equipment.
There is NO need to get hung up on something this basic.
Just define the standard power outlets and current types you will provide and move on to the next item.
Include circuit breakers in your design.
You'll be pulling power from a local power source. Assume the best that Calliban can design.
Ask Calliban what he will provide.
This is not the time to be limited by what humans can do in 2026. Plan for a future in which there is ample power. How will it be delivered to you.
Just ask Calliban.
The power providers need to know what you want. Not the other way around.
(th)
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Re-read the quote possible power sources as those are all different for how they are configured and while they give power output you will still need to build converting systems to match the devices that you are powering.
Some will require transformers for step-up and some for down before being made use of.
Think about you computer and you cellphone they both have battery but are they the same size in voltage or power. Yes they have converting transformers and circuitry to interface back to you outlet but they do not conform in any other way.
The cables outside the controlled temperatures of a garage or dome will need different specifications as the cold will make some materials brittle.
So no there is no one forced standard
So the number of watts for creation is not even known?
No list of equipment to make use of those watts?
How much is to be fore personal use?
No list of stuff needing heavy load powered versus items needing next to nothing?
Each building and sections there in are going to needed specifics to solve to what each will need to have configured for use and connection layout.
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