Do you think Humans will colonise The Moon and Mars someday?

[Germany and Prussia]

And do you think humans will ever actually walk on Mars ?
I do think that humans one day will colonise the moon but i don`t think it will happen in my life time. I don`t think humans will actually walk on Mars.

[NERVUN]

We will, we have to. Assuming we don't blow ourselves up first of course.

[Pope Joan]

A colony needs to be self sustaining. Mars could maybe manage that, with help and luck (and more water than is currently in evidence),

But not the moon; it will never be anything more than an outpost.

[Arkeyana]

Mars: yes.

Moon: most likely will be a shipyard, given gravity is lower there.

[Sovaal]

If we can avoid killing our selves or bomb us back to medieval times but with machine guns sure.

[Pope Joan]

Mars: yes.

Moon: most likely will be a shipyard, given gravity is lower there.

Right, and could be a coordinating and communications center for asteroid mining

[Xuswaycia]

How I see the moon is as a massive shipyard and industrial center. The low gravity is perfect for shipbuilding, and without oxygen and moisture no rust can degrade your industry. With an industrialized moon Mars is definitely a possibility if we can terraform it.

[Sovaal]

Mars: yes.

Moon: most likely will be a shipyard, given gravity is lower there.

Right, and could be a coordinating and communications center for asteroid mining

Eh, I think an articuficial habitat in orbit would be better then the moon. Then you could make it suitable for human habitation.

[Shaggtopia]

If we can find a solution to the Hostile Ailens problem, but as it stands they are far more advanced technologically. Although we're more physically adept on our home planet this is the only reason we haven't already been completely whipped out. We are not alone in the universe, We aren't the fastest or the strongest or even the most clever but what we are is durable.

[United Muscovite Nations]

Given how extremely expensive it is to move cargo into space, I can't really see a way in which such a thing would ever be feasible.

[Dooom35796821595]

Given how extremely expensive it is to move cargo into space, I can't really see a way in which such a thing would ever be feasible.

Space elevator.

[United Muscovite Nations]

Given how extremely expensive it is to move cargo into space, I can't really see a way in which such a thing would ever be feasible.

Space elevator.

A space elevator would face the same issues, and would probably be more expensive to build, if not outright impossible.

[Dooom35796821595]

Space elevator.

A space elevator would face the same issues, and would probably be more expensive to build, if not outright impossible.

Actually a space elevator could reduce the cost of moving cargo by 95-99%, quickly paying off the initial construction costs. Most issues would end up political rather then economic or practical.

[United Muscovite Nations]

A space elevator would face the same issues, and would probably be more expensive to build, if not outright impossible.

Actually a space elevator could reduce the cost of moving cargo by 95-99%, quickly paying off the initial construction costs. Most issues would end up political rather then economic or practical.

The initial construction costs would be immense (it would have to be hundreds of times larger than the largest building), would require massive amounts of space construction crews and equipment on a never-before-seen scale, etc. I don't know where you're getting that number from, nor do I think you've thought through the challenges. For example: how fast would a space elevator go?

[Luziyca]

Ideally, yes.

But realistically, I imagine we'll be extinct/suffer from Kessler Syndrome/all the above long before this century ends.

[Dooom35796821595]

Actually a space elevator could reduce the cost of moving cargo by 95-99%, quickly paying off the initial construction costs. Most issues would end up political rather then economic or practical.

The initial construction costs would be immense (it would have to be hundreds of times larger than the largest building), would require massive amounts of space construction crews and equipment on a never-before-seen scale, etc. I don't know where you're getting that number from, nor do I think you've thought through the challenges. For example: how fast would a space elevator go?

Most of the length would actually just be a cable, since no steel structure can be built higher then 1.5KM, but costs would likley be in the tens of billions. But the long term benefits could be worth trillions, so a good investment.

As for speed, it would likley take several days for the elevator to reach orbit, but it may be able to go faster f there are people on board.

[United Muscovite Nations]

The initial construction costs would be immense (it would have to be hundreds of times larger than the largest building), would require massive amounts of space construction crews and equipment on a never-before-seen scale, etc. I don't know where you're getting that number from, nor do I think you've thought through the challenges. For example: how fast would a space elevator go?

Most of the length would actually just be a cable, since no steel structure can be built higher then 1.5KM, but costs would likley be in the tens of billions. But the long term benefits could be worth trillions, so a good investment.

As for speed, it would likley take several days for the elevator to reach orbit, but it may be able to go faster f there are people on board.

For it to actually be worth it, it would have to be much longer than just orbit.

[Arkeyana]

Given how extremely expensive it is to move cargo into space, I can't really see a way in which such a thing would ever be feasible.

Space elevator.

Orbital Ring

[Fartsniffage]

How I see the moon is as a massive shipyard and industrial center. The low gravity is perfect for shipbuilding, and without oxygen and moisture no rust can degrade your industry. With an industrialized moon Mars is definitely a possibility if we can terraform it.

A Mars that we can live on is way beyond what we can do at the moment. An atmosphere we can breathe is maybe within our current science, a global magnetic field is not.

[Xuswaycia]

How I see the moon is as a massive shipyard and industrial center. The low gravity is perfect for shipbuilding, and without oxygen and moisture no rust can degrade your industry. With an industrialized moon Mars is definitely a possibility if we can terraform it.

A Mars that we can live on is way beyond what we can do at the moment. An atmosphere we can breathe is maybe within our current science, a global magnetic field is not.

The magnetic field is a long, long ways away, but a habitat is possible.

[Dooom35796821595]

Most of the length would actually just be a cable, since no steel structure can be built higher then 1.5KM, but costs would likley be in the tens of billions. But the long term benefits could be worth trillions, so a good investment.

As for speed, it would likley take several days for the elevator to reach orbit, but it may be able to go faster f there are people on board.

For it to actually be worth it, it would have to be much longer than just orbit.

Orbit is a long space, from 2,000 KM to 35,000 KM or more. But once in high orbit it would be easier to move further out, or to the moon with thrusters. It would also probably be easier to get higher speed on the elevator due to lack of gravity and air resistance.

[The Widening Gyre]

Probably not in any meaningful way outside of tiny outposts. And a good thing too, since trying any more than that would be inordinately wasteful.

[Dooom35796821595]

How I see the moon is as a massive shipyard and industrial center. The low gravity is perfect for shipbuilding, and without oxygen and moisture no rust can degrade your industry. With an industrialized moon Mars is definitely a possibility if we can terraform it.

A Mars that we can live on is way beyond what we can do at the moment. An atmosphere we can breathe is maybe within our current science, a global magnetic field is not.

https://phys.org/news/2017-03-nasa-magn ... phere.html

Perhaps not.

[United Muscovite Nations]

For it to actually be worth it, it would have to be much longer than just orbit.

Orbit is a long space, from 2,000 KM to 35,000 KM or more. But once in high orbit it would be easier to move further out, or to the moon with thrusters. It would also probably be easier to get higher speed on the elevator due to lack of gravity and air resistance.

But, see, then we're having to build things like docks up there too, which would hugely multiply construction costs. Moreover, even with a huge reduction in the cost of transport, it's still extremely expensive (e.g. $500 per kilogram of cargo is one estimate).

[Dazchan]

Orbit is a long space, from 2,000 KM to 35,000 KM or more. But once in high orbit it would be easier to move further out, or to the moon with thrusters. It would also probably be easier to get higher speed on the elevator due to lack of gravity and air resistance.

But, see, then we're having to build things like docks up there too, which would hugely multiply construction costs. Moreover, even with a huge reduction in the cost of transport, it's still extremely expensive (e.g. $500 per kilogram of cargo is one estimate).

As opposed to the $20,200 per kilogram that an Atlas V costs?