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China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

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Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#41

Post by colinplamondon »

Synthetase wrote: post #9

It's odd that any mention of Elon Musk colonizing Mars results in rapturous worship. Other efforts, China in particular, seem to attract scorn. Especially in light of the fact that Elon Musk's original plan was to send a greenhouse with plants to Mars. Perhaps I over-estimate the HN crowd.

China's a totalitarian government that's fraying at the edges with major scandals, with enormous multi-billion dollar thefts by its ruling elite. That's a little different than Elon Musk. Not all organizations and people are created equally.

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#43

Post by takluyver »

jcarreiro wrote: post #39
takluyver wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air and soil, though, perhaps supplemented with some nutrients brought from earth. A sealed chamber could be pumped up to around earth pressure, making it easier for the astronauts to go in - although with high CO2, they'd still need oxygen tanks. On the other hand, the pressure difference would require a much stronger capsule, so perhaps farmers in spacesuits is…

> I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air There is no air on the moon, so this doesn't seem likely.

OK, I was still focussing on the Martian case. I wonder if that actually makes a base on Mars an easier proposition.

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#44

Post by zokier »

jcarreiro wrote: post #39
takluyver wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air and soil, though, perhaps supplemented with some nutrients brought from earth. A sealed chamber could be pumped up to around earth pressure, making it easier for the astronauts to go in - although with high CO2, they'd still need oxygen tanks. On the other hand, the pressure difference would require a much stronger capsule, so perhaps farmers in spacesuits is…

> I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air There is no air on the moon, so this doesn't seem likely.

Isn't there even CO2 on moon?

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#46

Post by danielweber »

Synthetase wrote: post #9

It's odd that any mention of Elon Musk colonizing Mars results in rapturous worship. Other efforts, China in particular, seem to attract scorn. Especially in light of the fact that Elon Musk's original plan was to send a greenhouse with plants to Mars. Perhaps I over-estimate the HN crowd.

I think the thing most likely to give America a swift kick in the back of their pants about their space program is hearing that China is going to do it first.

There's a whole lot to be skeptical about here, but even rumors can kick off a space race.

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#47

Post by patrickk »

xyzzy123 wrote: post #19
xyzzy123 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. It gets kind of interesting though when you think about the challenges. You could have a really good plan to convert martian soil for plant use, but then again, that might fail. This obviously means you can't depend on your garden. Also, what you would have would be a laboratory, not a garden. You would spend a lot more time analysing the food than eating it. On the other hand, you could carry out a sample retur…

Thinking about this more, I guess hydroponics might be the way to go ;)

Another way that growing marijuana is benefiting mankind! ;-)

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#49

Post by mogrim »

takluyver wrote: post #43
jcarreiro wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air There is no air on the moon, so this doesn't seem likely.

OK, I was still focussing on the Martian case. I wonder if that actually makes a base on Mars an easier proposition.

Although if you've got water (and there is water on the moon) and a nuclear powerplant generating loads of electricity, getting oxygen's not a problem.

Re: China prepares to grow vegetables on Mars

#50

Post by mkr-hn »

jcarreiro wrote: post #39
takluyver wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air and soil, though, perhaps supplemented with some nutrients brought from earth. A sealed chamber could be pumped up to around earth pressure, making it easier for the astronauts to go in - although with high CO2, they'd still need oxygen tanks. On the other hand, the pressure difference would require a much stronger capsule, so perhaps farmers in spacesuits is…

> I guess you'd fill the capsule with 'locally sourced' air There is no air on the moon, so this doesn't seem likely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_the_Moon

There's air, but not much. And I wouldn't want to try and breathe it.

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