New Mars Forums

Maybe it's simply dawning on NASA that public opinion is moving against them because of the LEO 'ho-hum' effect.
    There is a famous saying, whose author I can't recall now, which goes: "The prospect of imminent death concentrates the mind wonderfully."   

    A mood of 'maybe we better shape up before we get shipped out' might be developing in the NASA corridors of power.
    We can only hope!    ???

Hi Phobos!

    I'm with you on this Huygens probe mission. I hardly dare to think about those first pictures from beneath the Titanian clouds, in case something goes wrong and the mission fails!

    For me, if it's successful, witnessing such an alien panorama will be one of the high points of my life ... on a par with seeing those first Viking pictures of Mars!

    Does anybody know if the pictures will be in colour? Or is the light too dim to see colours properly anyway?
                                      :0

To respond to Cindy's earlier post, I have just the same trouble trying to imagine changing gears right handed! It would feel weird to us southpaw drivers. And you'd have to steer with your left hand while changing with the right ... !
    Hmmm. I suppose it's just what you get used to but, if I ever have to drive in America, I'm going to make sure they give me an automatic!!     

    As for the centre of the galaxy, I don't believe I've ever been able to distinguish a noticeable blob of light. When we lived in the wheat belt of outback Victoria (south-eastern Australia), with some of the widest skies you can imagine and the ability to escape easily the light pollution of the town, I remember how vivid the milky way looked on a clear frosty night. Its edges were 'ragged' and the boundaries indistinct, because so many stars were visible I guess. But no, I don't remember one particular area being more prominent. Sorry!

    Yeah, Phobos! My Dad and I had a ball working on that Ford! It was a 1966 Cortina (I don't think you had those in the good ol' USA.) and all non-metric. We replaced the front suspension, the brakes, and the clutch, but the rust got the better of us in the end!
    Although I don't work on cars much any more, I still have a mixture of metric and non-metric tools in my toolbox. Many of the non-metric ones inherited from my father.
    Since I have wrenches of all shapes, sizes, and denominations, I haven't had occasion to go looking for any in hardware stores in recent years. But I guess you could probably find a 3/8'' wrench if you needed one because of all the old cars still on the road. Interesting question!

    I hadn't heard the tragic news that the Australian government has defected to the Empire. No doubt Vader is behind all the arrests.
    But fear not! The Jedi are not easily defeated and we will turn the tide. May the Force be with you!
                     Your friend, Obi-Wan Shaunobi.   

    Have to shampoo my hair again tonight ... so hard with this steel helmet on ... and the RUST!! It's worse than the Cortina! Maybe if I just slip it off for a few moments ... Ooohh, can feel NASA's influence ... and Vader ... they're all in it together! ... Brain hurts ... feel dizzy .... falling .. HELP!!

Oops!!
    When I made that last warning post, my missing THREE identical posts appeared!

    I don't know what's going on here, but I'll now delete the extraneous copies.
    Apologies if it was my fault all this happened!    :0

Auqakah writes:-

    Yes and no!
    The important point is whether any life on Mars is based on the same 20 amino acids, 19 of which are laevorotatory, as the life on Earth. If so, then we are dealing with ONE origin of life. Then the answer to your question is yes.
    It would be very INTERESTING to know which planet this ONE basic system of life developed on first, but as far as terraforming is concerned, it would be relatively unimportant.

    If it transpires that Martian life is based on different amino acids, or a different system of compounds entirely, then the answer to your question becomes DON'T TERRAFORM!! At least as far as my ethics are concerned.

    You may feel differently about it on the basis that life might well be common in the universe. But we don't know that yet. And even if we have a million fundamentally different life-systems in our galaxy, I'm inclined to think each one has intrinsic value and we should consider carefully whether we have the right to muscle in on its ecology.

    From my point of view (as most of you know, to your cost, from my incessant lecturing! ), the good news is there's virtually no chance at all that Martian life and terrestrial life will be different.
    If Mars is sterile, I'll eat my hat. If the life there is fundamentally different, I'll eat my head!!
                                                           

Thanks Cindy!

    Absolutely no need to apologise, though. I'm probably one of the worst offenders when it comes to responding to posts. Sometimes it's lack of time at that particular moment, combined with forgetfulness later! Sometimes it's just failing to realise someone has asked me something.
    If I've failed to reply to anybody with a query, I offer MY apologies now!    ???

    Chile rellenos sound very very tasty! And the pictures you so kindly provided have helped to round out my education about the local produce in your neck of the woods.   

    As a result of your taste-bud-tempting description, I have resolved to visit New Mexico before I die and sample the culinary delights! Thanks again!   
                                               

Phobos ponders:-

    Didn't you read Cindy's post properly, Phobos?! About the diamond core?

    I advocate putting the WOMEN in charge of your little mission, and making Cindy the project manager!
    Once we tell 'em there's a 10 billion carat flawless white diamond at Jupiter's core, you can stop worrying about the technology .... those gals will DEFINITELY find a way!!!
                                       

Great New Mars logo, Adrian! I've always liked it too.

    One question, though. It may be an optical illusion, but is the diameter of the red crescent a tad on the small side compared to the diameter of the blue crescent? Or are they actually scaled correctly in accordance with the ratio of the diameters of Earth and Mars?

    Very small point, I know, and, in the great scheme of things, of little or no significance to anybody! But I was just curious, that's all.             

Phobos writes:-

    I've actually gone one step further down that road, Phobos!
    The worn out key to my old green Ford seemed a little sticky in the lock as I opened the door and hopped into 'my' car. As I put the key in the ignition, I became aware that the dashboard and the knick-knacks on the parcel shelf looked strangely unfamiliar!
    I swear it took 2 or 3 seconds before the realisation of what I had done came flooding into my brain.
    I got out of 'my' car, a little quicker than I got in, locked the door pretty smartly, and moved away from the vehicle!!

    Never again, I hope!             

As some of you know, I'm not convinced of the validity of the 'super-oxides in the Martian soil hypothesis". Accordingly, I'm not convinced that Martian dust is going to be dangerous to inhale.
    However, I'm not going to grind that axe today. ("Alleluia! And may the Lord be praised!", I hear you all shout!! )

    On the other hand, I am prepared to admit that fine dust is probably going to be a nuisance at best, and maybe dangerous at worst, if it affects vital equipment.
    Would it be feasible to build a valve into the airlock doors so that when the astronauts returning from excursions are dusting themselves off and removing their suits, air is constantly leaking out of the Hab into the airlock, and then out into the open air? In other words could we arrange for 'negative pressure' in the airlock, the way they do with biohazard facilities?
    At least this way we might be able to keep the vast majority of dust outside where it belongs!
                                         :0

With regard to rotating tethers, Rob S writes:-

    It seems like you'd have to be pretty sure of where the tip was going to 'touch down'. Would the system be too vulnerable to slight drifting of the tether's orbit?
    Also, how much time do you get to detach and attach the payloads, and does it matter which operation is performed first?

    I've probably got it all wrong but it sounds like it could be a frantic exercise for the ground crew!
    Please forgive my irreverence but I could almost imagine it as the basis for a Laurel and Hardy comedy sketch! No offence intended.
                                         

Sounds like you've put a great deal of thought into this, Rob.

    It all sounds very promising to me. The only question I have, is whether or not you anticipate any problems with subsidence as the water is removed from the well?