Mars: estimations about its colonization - liquid water issue

In summary, Elon Musk plans to send 1 million people to Mars by 2050 by launching 3 Starship rockets every day and creating 'a lot of jobs' on the red planet. However, this plan is met with skepticism as there are many challenges to overcome, such as the long voyage, radiation exposure, and the lack of liquid water on Mars. Solutions such as melting ice at the polar caps have been proposed, but there are still concerns about the viability of sustaining life on Mars. Additionally, the launch window for Mars missions is limited and Musk may need to send non-human flights with supplies to sustain long duration missions.
  • #1
thommy
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''Elon Musk says he plans to send 1 million people to Mars by 2050 by launching 3 Starship rockets every day and creating 'a lot of jobs' on the red planet''

mars_colony.jpg

It's been a while since Elon made the above statement, however isn't he being extremely optimistic about everything, really?

What are your estimations about the colonization of Mars? Are we even going to send a manned mission there before 2030? How will astronauts let alone civilians react to the horrifically long voyage? Is the voyage length going to decrease substantially in the future? What are the first jobs (professions) going to be``? What's the Martian population going to look like in 2050? 2100?

I acknowledge that there are multiples problems we need to face then solve in order to properly colonize Mars, however having an abundance of liquid water seems quite important to me.
Unfortunately, the Martian pressure is well below the triple point of water, which means that water cannot exist as a liquid. What would possible solutions be to that specific problem?
 
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  • #2
thommy said:
It's been a while since Elon made the above statement, however isn't he being extremely optimistic about everything, really?

It's a load of nonsense, mostly. We don't even know how to survive long-term outside of Earth's biosphere.

thommy said:
Are we even going to send a manned mission there before 2030?

It's possible, but it seems unlikely to me.

thommy said:
How will astronauts let alone civilians react to the horrifically long voyage?

We can't know for sure, but people have been doing pretty well spending many months on the ISS, so a 5-6 month journey probably wouldn't be that big of an issue in terms of how people mentally and physically handle it.

I think the bigger problem is one of radiation exposure and the multi-year time frame spent away from Earth that such as mission requires.

thommy said:
Is the voyage length going to decrease substantially in the future?

Probably not. The amount of fuel needed with chemical rockets increases dramatically as you reduce transit time (more fuel needed for longer burns and higher velocities) which drastically increases your spacecraft 's mass and expense. Electric thrusters are an option, but they have such low thrust that the burn times are extremely long and may be problematic, not to mention they need huge amounts of electric power.

thommy said:
Mars, however having an abundance of liquid water seems quite important to me.
Unfortunately, the Martian pressure is well below the triple point of water, which means that water cannot exist as a liquid. What would possible solutions be to that specific problem?

Easy. Just melt the ice at the polar caps or other sources of ice water.
 
  • #3
Drakkith said:
Easy. Just melt the ice at the polar caps or other sources of ice water.

Well, isn't ice going to sublime? The pressure is way too low.
 
  • #4
thommy said:
Well, isn't ice going to sublime? The pressure is way too low.
The atmospheric pressure on Mars is (coincidentally) almost exactly the pressure at the triple point of water (~600 Pa). However, the temperature on Mars is on average much colder than the triple point, so water will almost always be present in its solid form—especially at the poles, where the ice caps are situated and which experience the coldest weather on Mars.
 
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  • #5
Is not the launch window a pretty narrow period every 2 years? What is he going to do for the pauses? Send non-human flights with supplies for long duration missions to mars? Is there even fuel and delta V capacity for that on the starship?
 

1. Is there evidence of liquid water on Mars?

Yes, there is evidence of liquid water on Mars. In 2015, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter detected hydrated salts on the surface of the planet, indicating the presence of liquid water. Additionally, in 2018, a large underground lake was discovered under the southern polar ice cap, further supporting the existence of liquid water on Mars.

2. How does the presence of liquid water affect the potential for human colonization on Mars?

The presence of liquid water is a crucial factor in determining the potential for human colonization on Mars. Water is essential for sustaining life, and the availability of liquid water on Mars would greatly reduce the resources and costs needed for human settlement. It would also provide a potential source for creating oxygen and fuel for future missions.

3. What challenges does the liquid water issue pose for colonizing Mars?

The liquid water issue poses several challenges for colonizing Mars. One of the main challenges is the harsh environment on the planet, with extreme temperatures and radiation. Another challenge is the difficulty of accessing and utilizing the water, as it is mostly located underground or in frozen form. Additionally, there are concerns about potential contamination of the water by microorganisms from Earth.

4. How do scientists estimate the amount of liquid water on Mars?

Scientists use a variety of methods to estimate the amount of liquid water on Mars. These include analyzing data from orbiting spacecraft, studying the planet's geological features, and conducting experiments in simulated Martian environments. The presence of certain minerals and the topography of the planet can also provide clues about the amount of liquid water on Mars.

5. What are the implications of liquid water on Mars for future exploration and potential colonization?

The discovery of liquid water on Mars has significant implications for future exploration and potential colonization of the planet. It opens up the possibility of sustaining human life on Mars and reduces the resources and costs needed for future missions. It also provides a potential source for creating fuel and oxygen, making future exploration and colonization more feasible.

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