Want to live on Mars?

**lsemmens** · 23-02-18, 08:57 PM

**enf** · 23-02-18, 09:33 PM

I don't think it does. It may be a start I suppose.

Putting your life on the line on an almost airless planet, using hardware that can't be replaced and being gazillions of miles from anyone else can have no peer in my view.

**CONAXLE** · 24-02-18, 10:43 AM

Everything is different on Mars...

**gordon_s1942** · 24-02-18, 11:57 AM

These 'exercises' have been conducted over the last couple of decades to try and establish what is needed for such an event but there is one thing they cannot emulate is the fact that they are still here on Earth !!!
The steps to Colonisation are fairly straight forward, work out what is needed, send it there and then go there and 'Set up House', EASY PEASY !!!

The daunting problem that has to be faced and dealt with is that those who go over the next decade at least, wont came back !!

Then after an amount of time has passed it should be then possible to determine if those who have been on MARS long term, can ever return......

**Onefella** · 25-02-18, 01:10 AM

I'm always perplexed that they do these 'simulations' in hot places. They did one a few years ago in Arizona too I believe. Surely if you wanted to test out equipment etc. for Mars, wouldn't a closer environment be Antarctica?

**enf** · 25-02-18, 08:56 AM

NASA has one on Devon Island, North of Alaska. It's called Flashline. I assume it's still there.

There's still a lot of air handy though....I don't think there's any way that the psychological stresses can be adequately addressed. That will be the elephant in the room.

**lsemmens** · 25-02-18, 02:30 PM

They tried the one way trip thing some years back. They sent a heap of people to some foreign planet and they had to fend for themselves because the only communication with home was months away. I think they called the place "Australia"

**gordon_s1942** · 25-02-18, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by lsemmens

They tried the one way trip thing some years back. They sent a heap of people to some foreign planet and they had to fend for themselves because the only communication with home was months away. I think they called the place "Australia"

Right old mess they made of that, didnt they?

So let's hope when they get there, as soon as they make 'First Contact' the L.I.P (Local Indigenous People) they set up a settlement agreement so there wont be any arguments in 200 years time from the L.I.P that they were never consulted about them living here.

**enf** · 25-02-18, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by lsemmens

They tried the one way trip thing some years back. They sent a heap of people to some foreign planet and they had to fend for themselves because the only communication with home was months away. I think they called the place "Australia"

A lot more resources in Australia than Mars. But, I'm glad they did as I'm here and still happy despite the self flagellation of the guilt brigade and it's industry's attempts to put the worst spin on everything and convince us all to self hate like they do.

THEY are the ones with the REAL psychotic issues IMO, so as much as I would love to be rid of them, don't send THEM to Mars.

**gordon_s1942** · 25-02-18, 04:58 PM

I think one of the reasons their using deserts and places like Australia is because Visually, thats what MARS looks like.
Although it has freezing temperatures, with almost no moisture in the atmosphere it has no snow, only very heavy frosts to contend with.

**Onefella** · 25-02-18, 05:26 PM

I don't think the psychology of being isolated will be that much of a factor. The pioneers will have been thoroughly vetted psychologically and will have reasonable comms back to earth. Plus the fact that they would be 'head-down, bum-up' working towards the very positive goal of setting up the first colony on Mars and not dying in the process. There would be many positive aspects that would keep morale up, the prospect of more people coming, the prospect of going back 'home' one day, and the constant attention from Earth as celebrities and 'heroes'.

Humans are a tenacious bunch, and can survive for years in restricted environments like submarines, oil-rigs, lighthouses, ships, space-stations, etc. I feel it's one of the least-significant factors in starting a colony on Mars.

**enf** · 25-02-18, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Onefella

I don't think the psychology of being isolated will be that much of a factor. The pioneers will have been thoroughly vetted psychologically and will have reasonable comms back to earth. Plus the fact that they would be 'head-down, bum-up' working towards the very positive goal of setting up the first colony on Mars and not dying in the process. There would be many positive aspects that would keep morale up, the prospect of more people coming, the prospect of going back 'home' one day, and the constant attention from Earth as celebrities and 'heroes'.

Humans are a tenacious bunch, and can survive for years in restricted environments like submarines, oil-rigs, lighthouses, ships, space-stations, etc. I feel it's one of the least-significant factors in starting a colony on Mars.

Couldn't disagree more....NOBODY is out of touch for very long in any of those scenarios. Or out of reach for very long either. Several countries will need to be involved, and that's another problem unless you assume they will get their political shit together for the first time in our lifetime.

Psychological screening is all there is and is just the BEST that can be done. Once on the way nothing will be able to help them physically. If they are wrong about anyone at all then everyone could be in mortal jeopardy. Radiation, micro meteorites blah blah blah....the hazards are practically endless.

I'm not saying it can't be done at all, just that it won't be the science fiction adventure that many think. It will be really really hard every step of the way with the added stress of being on a knife edge all the time.

And that's not even mentioning the hardware reliability and redundancy that will need to be built in/traded off to make it work.

**cobra679** · 26-02-18, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by gordon_s1942

I think one of the reasons their using deserts and places like Australia is because Visually, thats what MARS looks like.
Although it has freezing temperatures, with almost no moisture in the atmosphere it has no snow, only very heavy frosts to contend with.

Went Gold Prospecting in Kalgoorlie.. Day time temps were perfect and even got a little hot. But when the sun was down it was freezing, we woke up to our Butane gas cylinders being frozen (so no coffee that morning)