What about Mars?

[Yuvo]

Well, if you're gonna go to Alpha Centauri, surely you'd want to go to Mars first?

I wouldn't expect anything big, maybe just something along the lines of the "Mars Now" scenario out of Fantastic Worlds.
And maybe the moon aswell.

Hopefully this would'nt take up too much memory during the game, since Mars is only a third the size of Earth.

Any suggestions?

[OrangeSfwr]

visit or colonize?

If you mean visit....isn't the whole purpose of "The Apollo Program"?

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~~~I am who I am, who I am - but who am I?~~~

[Biddles]

Yuvo: Could you possibly be reading any of Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars books at the moment? (either that or you spend way too much time at the mars society's web site).

It's a good idea though, who wouldn't want to colonize mars. It could also be a stepping stone to Alpha Centauri as you suggested. (Kind of a little trial run).


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- Biddles

"Now that our life-support systems are utilising the new Windows 2027 OS, we don't have to worry about anythi......."
Mars Colonizer Mission

[Yuvo]

OrangeSfwr: Yeah, to colonize. And same with the moon, the Apollo program could be what you need to build before any civ can go to the moon. Maybe a similar wonder for Mars, any ideas?

Biddles: No, but I have read them. I thought it might be fun to colonize after finding the Mars scenario pretty fun to play.

[Hawkman142]

How about just useing the moon and Mars as colonies for resources, like the European countries did from 1300-1940's with the Americas and Asia?

[mwaf]

Good point Dalgetti.

Some info about our solar system:
- Three planets could have life due to distance from sun acceptable; Venus, Tellus (well, earth) and Mars
- Venus surface temp. is between 400 K and 750 K (127 C - 477 C and 260 F - 890 F)
- Venus rotation is also very slow, meaning about 3/4 year day and 3/4 year night
- Mars average temp. is about 218 K (-55 C and -67 F) and at it's best, summertime day side only 300 K (27 C and 80 F)
Who would want to live at these places?

Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sources:
The Nine Planets
...and what I know/remember from school

[Seeker]

27 C is actually not that cold.

[mwaf]

quote: Originally posted by Seeker on 05-01-2000 01:45 PM 27 C is actually not that cold.

yes, I know, mostly beats summer in Finland

[Seeker]

and it can get to -80 C in antarctica.

[mwaf]

quote: Originally posted by Seeker on 05-01-2000 02:51 PM and it can get to -80 C in antarctica.

warmer than the winter pole temp. on Mars: 140 K (-133 C, -208 F).

[Az]

I am very sad to disappoint you . life on mars for humans is impossible ! as you know the earth is a one huge charged magnet. and the charge of mars is opposite to the charge of the earth , so many ion-involved chemical proccesses that are part of many critical biological proccesses ....

sorry I am very sad to break your hopes ....

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Enslave the enemy .

[Glak]

could you clarify that magnetism thing? Hmm not sure what you're implying. Are you saying the poles are reversed? That couldn't be harmful, since Australians and others seems to tolerate it quite well.

[Yuvo]

jeez, you guys are pessimistic.......

mwaf-
if well-protected houses are built and people only walk outside in 'spacesuits' then the cold isn't going to be a problem.

Dalgetti-
I haven't actually heard of this 'opposite charge'. Tell us all more.

Anyway, if what you're saying is true, civ3 could still have a livable Mars, who cares about realism, nobody complained to much about the scenario.

[Earthling7]

What's the problem? If Earth has a positive charge and everyone is so negative, then a Mars with negative charge should make everyone very positive... right? Utopia at last!

And if the positive charge keeps us stuck to Earth, then a negative charge will allow us to fly without the assistance of Boeing!

Correct me if I'm wrong

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Greetings,
Earthling7
ICQ: 929768

[Biddles]

Dalgetti:
What does a magnetic field have to do with ionic equations? Aren't these due to electrostatic forces between molecules/atoms?

Mars doesn't have a magnetic field for two reasons (well they kinda overlap):
1. It doesn't have an iron core like earth's (there may be some iron but it is not a huge chunk of iron like earth's), iron is pretty much they only metal that is magnetic that occurs in large enough quantaties to form a planet's core.
2. Mars is less geologically active than earth. On earth, the magnetic field is caused by the iron core rotating at a different speed than the rest of the earth.

However, mars's lack of a magnetosphere is a problem. Earth's magnetosphere protects it from solar radiation. Since mars doesn't have this, anyone not taking precautions on mars would take more rems of radiation than life is designed to take. (But a few metres of water can block these out anyway).



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- Biddles

"Now that our life-support systems are utilising the new Windows 2027 OS, we don't have to worry about anythi......."
Mars Colonizer Mission