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Just a girlie thinking out loud, but, would mining and reducing the density of asteroids, or hauling them out of their orbits completely to mine elsewhere, potentially create variances in the orbits of other nearby asteroids and ruining all those carefully calculated orbits we've got at the moment?
Has anyone else received the Planetary Society fundraising mailing about funding robotic missions to Mars?
Any thoughts?
Not a thing, but then, they've had a hard time this year prising my membership renewal money out of me....
^^ I agree with you.
I can't see anyone getting all excited about sending people to Mars without them getting the chance to stretch their legs on the surface for a while.
Although the journey would make an interesting rehearsal for for other long duration manned missions and could be used as a test bed for various ways of 'making gravity'.
But to go that far and not land - who'd volunteer for that?
Later missions would add to this hub until it was sufficient to house a small (perhaps no more than 50?) research staff with the goal of determining whether life exists on Mars. Due to important ethical considerations, I think it's imperitive that we determine whether life exists on Mars before we begin (or allow) any effort that could lead toward permanent colonization of the planet.
By the time scientists have gathered enough data to make that determination, I think there would probably be several governments, private organizations, and consortia of the two who were ready to proceed with colonization should conditions warrant.
^^ Absolutely.
And by the time all that happens, I'll be safely in my grave...
But I do hope not. Lets hope the sample return mission does go on time.
Mining asteroids is a SciFi staple for getting raw materials.
As is attaching engines to them to bring them to earth for processing.
I suppose the Iron rich ones would be useful, but we'd have to have made a real mess of recycling down here to make it economically viable, surely?
Okay, it's very early morning and I'm gazing blearily at the monitor, but what pyramids?
I can't tell if they are indentations or superstructure from that picture. Yes, I'm not trained in interpreting these photos, but it is very ambiguous. And naturally formed IMO
Would the angle of impact make a difference too? I mean if the impactor came in with or against the direction of rotation?
At least he advocates getting Inside the asteroid to create a habitat. Then the centrifugal force will create at least a partial gravity.
For example, dust could contain high concentrations of sulfur and chlorine, compounds that could degrade human lung tissue if inhaled and corrode equipment.
There is also uncertainty as to the quantity of toxic metals, such as hexavalent chromium, in the soil. While small amounts of these metals may not affect the astronauts immediately, they could have long-term effects, such as cancer. Robotic sampling of soil and airborne dust could determine the presence and extent of any harmful organisms or compounds.
etc etc.
Suddenly TPTB are determined to be ultra-careful about all this. Don't want anyone suing for health damage when they get back, I suppose.
That's assuming they could get anyone willing to do a , what is it now, 18 month round trip in a tin can with a few other folks?
Anyway, isn't the first sample return mission currently scheduled for 2011 - 2016?