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Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

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Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#231

Post by spdustin »

thaw13579 wrote: post #211
spdustin wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need the permission and cooperation of every major world power and polluting industry to go to Mars. I'd go so far as to say it's vastly more attainable than fixing our atmosphere.

Once there's any indication that terraforming Mars is possible, why wouldn't they do everything they can to cash in as well?

Terraforming Mars actually means creating a greenhouse effect there to increase atmospheric pressure enough that colonists could just wear oxygen masks and not full pressure suits. Oxygenation would come much later, and no doubt the lessons learned there could apply to the poor unfortunate souls still living on this rock.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#232

Post by codeulike »

twoodfin wrote: post #108
pinewurst wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Speed to Mars though is really relative speed along whatever orbit (Hohmann transfer or the moral equivalent) that you choose. Only in SF stories do we have fully powered propulsion to Mars. I am very curious what the selected family of orbits is, and even more importantly how long & how much life support for the large passenger number.

Yeah, transit time & payload mass seem to be the major missing numbers in a video that wasn't shy about including them.

Average 115 days, payload to Mars 450 tonnes. 100 people he reckons.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#233

Post by kamaal »

the_af wrote: post #90
kamaal wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>The earth isn't the problem It is. If you are yet not convinced, you might want to take a look at how many species go extinct every day. There are a many threats to human existence beyond human behavior and preparing for them is a good move forward.

Even from that point of view, Mars is even more hostile to life (as we know it) than Earth.

Mars is just a placeholder for an alternate home to earth.

Most technologies developed for these missions will be reused or new ones will built on top of them.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#234

Post by kamaal »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #86
kamaal wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>The earth isn't the problem It is. If you are yet not convinced, you might want to take a look at how many species go extinct every day. There are a many threats to human existence beyond human behavior and preparing for them is a good move forward.

Or you know...discovered [1] Also, show me the species on other planets. Far as we know there aren't any and none of the planets seem to be habitable. Stop living in fantasy land. [1] http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-animal-species

>>Also, show me the species on other planets.

Exactly, lets go there and see for ourselves.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#235

Post by brey »

mikeash wrote: post #148

Some of the comments here make me think of crabs in a pot pulling down the ones who try to climb out. Nobody's making you participate in this venture. If you don't like it, then you're free to go do whatever it is you do like. You might think Musk could better direct his efforts and resources elsewhere, but most other billionaires don't do anything all that interesting, they just invest their money in mundane stuff,…

There's a phrase I'm fond of:

The man who says it can't be done needs to get out of the way of the man who's doing it.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#236

Post by dnissley »

dsabanin wrote: post #159
spdustin wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need the permission and cooperation of every major world power and polluting industry to go to Mars. I'd go so far as to say it's vastly more attainable than fixing our atmosphere.

I understand that. But if we as people can't even solve these simple problems of intercommunication in the system that we ourselves created, how are we going to be solving problems of terraforming which involve a lot more complex systems that we have absolutely no clue about? We can't stop desertification on this planet, yet plan to turn a planet-sized desert into a hospitable place. Crazy.

I get where you're coming from. Here's how I see it: No one's really invested in keeping Mars a wasteland, and there are a lot of very powerful people invested in activities that are destroying Earth.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#237

Post by grecy »

mikeash wrote: post #148

Some of the comments here make me think of crabs in a pot pulling down the ones who try to climb out. Nobody's making you participate in this venture. If you don't like it, then you're free to go do whatever it is you do like. You might think Musk could better direct his efforts and resources elsewhere, but most other billionaires don't do anything all that interesting, they just invest their money in mundane stuff,…

> Nobody's making you participate in this venture. If you don't like it, then you're free to go do whatever it is you do like.

I can't agree more. I've seen HN degrade into that kind of discussion over the last 2 years and it really disappoints me.

Part of me wishes HN had a really strong moderator that slapped down nay-sayers. If you're not contributing something valuable, comment deleted.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#238

Post by spdustin »

ravenstine wrote: post #167
spdustin wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We get to experience the Brand New again. We get to learn things that are unlearnable right now. We get to leave behind a planet whose ecosystem has been screwed by its current population and try to make the right choices on a new one. But mostly? Because it's hard, and rising to the challenge can supersede politics and superstition and, we can only hope, recapture the sense of, "holy shit, we did it!" not experience…

> We get to experience the Brand New again. So what? Does it improve the human experience more than addressing human biology & cognition? > We get to leave behind a planet whose ecosystem has been screwed by its current population and try to make the right choices on a new one. Unless you can substantiate that claim, I don't necessarily agree. You are also speculating that we would somehow make better choices with a…

I would get behind a space pogo project. Would certainly cut down on the pesky emissions from many rocket fuels.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#239

Post by fixermark »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #137
fixermark wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problems we take with us aren't the problem this project addresses---there is one problem we unequivocally leave behind if we successfully colonize Mars. For all our accomplishments, the human species is one unavoidable planet-scale disaster away from total extinction. We know this class of disaster has happened in Earth's past, and we know we lack the capability to stop it. Colonizing Mars gives the species that…

All of this is true. Going to Mars fixes none of these problems however and wastes a lot of energy in the process.

I'm talking about asteroid impact. It fixes asteroid impact.

Re: Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species [video]

#240

Post by goatlover »

unprepare wrote: post #111
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not the oceans? Much easier to populate than Mars.

Does that protect people from the event of a major nuclear war? Would it be immune to accelerated climate change on Earth? availability of land isnt the only factor here. (i dont actually know the answer to these questions, and obviously it would likely depend on the details of this water habitat)

What makes you think Mars would be more liveable than Antartica after a nuclear war or accelerated climate change?
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