Huge amounts of water ice found on Mars

[mfb]

NASA report.

~10,000 cubic kilometers, more than even the most enthusiastic colony concepts could use in the whole 21st century, and even if we don't take recycling into account at all. The ground has 50-85% water ice, buried under a 1 to 10 meter surface layer of regolith - it should be easy to access this ice.

Good news for plans for manned missions, especially plans that would use this ice to produce fuel on the surface of Mars, and of course good news for colony plans.

 

[fresh_42]

But isn't the crucial part the supply of energy, too? And the storm shielding.

 

[mfb]

Solar cells can provide energy, nuclear reactors are possible as well.

The rovers work fine in storms, any systems for humans would be more robust than those rovers. Storms are not dangerous in terms of wind loads - the atmosphere is very thin. They are just annoying in terms of dust.

 

[Pbody101]

NASA report.

~10,000 cubic kilometers, more than even the most enthusiastic colony concepts could use in the whole 21st century, and even if we don't take recycling into account at all. The ground has 50-85% water ice, buried under a 1 to 10 meter surface layer of regolith - it should be easy to access this ice.

Good news for plans for manned missions, especially plans that would use this ice to produce fuel on the surface of Mars, and of course good news for colony plans.

Awesome news! Thanks for the post!