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So, on a positive note for a change, in another triumph, NASA seems almost certainly to have discovered large ice deposits just underneath the surface of Mars. For anyone who knows a little about space exploration, it can be said that this is probably one of, if not the single most exciting discovery made in space to date. The implications are enormous, and it essentially means that if there is a large amount of readily available water just below the surface of the planet, then a human expedition to the planet and perhaps even a base or colony on the surface is now a lot more feasible than it once was. Of course there are serious problems in trying to get there, but if that's solved then there wouldn't be much problem with having a long term base there, as water is do fundamental to sustaining life, both for the crew, and their food, as well as energy, etc. Its a fantastic discovery, very exciting. So, any opinions?

Also, and in an unrelated, but equally important breaking news story, I have reached 8,000 posts. Bloody hell!

Galbally;882373 wrote: Also, and in an unrelated, but equally important breaking news story, I have reached 8,000 posts. Bloody hell!


Well done Gallbally, time to open up your Advice column again, that would soon get your post count up :wah:

Back to Mars...



Mine always get water droplets on them when I freeze them

Why would a research station on Mars need access to more water then they require during the trip? It's bound to be recycled on the way, surely it can carry on being recycled indefinitely. They'll be in an enclosed environment all the time they're there. If it had been frozen carbon dioxide instead, for example, would it not have been just as useful as a raw industrial chemical?

Galbally;882373 wrote: Also, and in an unrelated, but equally important breaking news story, I have reached 8,000 posts. Bloody hell!


Congratulations

I must admit your posts are the voice of reason & very interesting:-4:-6

im just glad they didnt find oil!we would be fighting over the launch dates already!

Galbally;882373 wrote: Also, and in an unrelated, but equally important breaking news story, I have reached 8,000 posts. Bloody hell!


Yahoo!

That is really cool science news, fascinating that there is water on Mars.

Betty Boop;882375 wrote: Well done Gallbally, time to open up your Advice column again, that would soon get your post count up :wah:

Back to Mars...



Mine always get water droplets on them when I freeze them


Yes, but its what you do with them dear, thats the main thing.

Galbally;882439 wrote: Yes, but its what you do with them dear, thats the main thing.


Oh! And whats that then, please do tell :wah:

spot;882413 wrote: Why would a research station on Mars need access to more water then they require during the trip? It's bound to be recycled on the way, surely it can carry on being recycled indefinitely. They'll be in an enclosed environment all the time they're there. If it had been frozen carbon dioxide instead, for example, would it not have been just as useful as a raw industrial chemical?


Well, its more for the idea of being able to set up a permanent human base on Mars, from the initial results it would seem that water may well be very abundant in the polar regions, and we could be talking about billions of tonnes of readily available water. Its obviously fantastic if you have water (h2O) readily available as firstly its a supply of oxygen for the people and their animals to breath, while also being a source of hydrogen. Its also a very useful chemical feed-stock of course as both oxygen and hydrogen are extremely useful, as is water itself of course, being the universal solvent. It also allows for the creation of a self-replenishing food supply based on hydroponics, and its also useful for reaction-mass drives for craft launched from Mars to explore and exploit the riches of the asteroid belt. In fact its like finding gold in Central America in the 16th century, but far more important in the long term, in that it means that we will almost certainly be going to Mars in the next few decades, and probably to stay, unless something cataclysmic happens here on earth.

Betty Boop;882440 wrote: Oh! And whats that then, please do tell :wah:


I dunno, you could ask Mick Jagger maybe?

mrsK;882428 wrote: Congratulations

I must admit your posts are the voice of reason & very interesting:-4:-6


Thanks MrsK, your one of the sexy people, so I take everything you say very seriously. :-4

hoxtonchris;882429 wrote: im just glad they didnt find oil!we would be fighting over the launch dates already!


You never know, I reckon its not impossible we will find enormous quantities of Methane (CH4) or as its known (natural gas) within the solar system, frozen into ice asteroids. Now some might say that's gods little joke on us, leaving his farts about the place, but seriously, it could be significant. Sounds crazy? No more than the idea of drilling several kilometers into the sea bed, under deep water several thousand feet deep, we were able to develop the technology for that in the 1970s.

chonsigirl;882433 wrote: Yahoo!

That is really cool science news, fascinating that there is water on Mars.


Yep, its fantastic!

and of course its handy to have a wash with!

hoxtonchris;882451 wrote: and of course its handy to have a wash with!


Yes, absolutely, Mars is quite dusty apparenly, so they could keep the robots clean!

spot;882413 wrote: Why would a research station on Mars need access to more water then they require during the trip? It's bound to be recycled on the way, surely it can carry on being recycled indefinitely.


It's a great boon for recruiting.

I'll wager there will be a lot more takers for a Mars mission if they knew they didn't have to drink the crew's pee and sweat on a daily basis.

Richard Bell;882950 wrote: It's a great boon for recruiting.

I'll wager there will be a lot more takers for a Mars mission if they knew they didn't have to drink the crew's pee and sweat on a daily basis.


I've been on the UK Colony Volunteer List for the last fifteen years - it's the British Interplanetary Society's project. Who knows, I might be there within the next ten years. Once we're there we're meant to stay.

It means that you will be able to found and run a base mostly on local materials, thats a huge step. Lets see what the results are over the weekend.

Galbally:-6

This is such an exciting event for me. My 3rd graders and I watched the Phoenix land on Mars on the NASA site. We were all soooooo excited.

I love astronomy...love to look for comets and spacecrafts....still waiting for the aliens to land....haven't seen them yet:mad::wah::wah:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoen ... index.html

Kathy Ellen;883166 wrote: Galbally:-6



This is such an exciting event for me. My 3rd graders and I watched the Phoenix land on Mars on the NASA site. We were all soooooo excited.



I love astronomy...love to look for comets and spacecrafts....still waiting for the aliens to land....haven't seen them yet:mad::wah::wah:



http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoen ... index.html
Now we know where they stop over for refreshments on their way here to kidnap Nomad..

YZGI;883179 wrote: Now we know where they stop over for refreshments on their way here to kidnap Nomad..


:wah::wah: zygister:-6

I listen to coasttocoastam.com almost everynight...between snores....the aliens know where to find me....I'll make them some "hot and spicy" food so they have extra gas to annoy Nomad:-6