Difference between revisions of "Luna and Mars Characteristics"
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| − | |+ ''' Luna's and Mars' Characteristics ''' | + | |+ ''' A Selection of Luna's and Mars' Characteristics ''' |
! Quality !! Luna !! Mars | ! Quality !! Luna !! Mars | ||
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| − | | ''Atmosphere'' || | + | | ''Atmosphere'' || Vacuum || 0.1 psi Carbon Dioxide |
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| − | | Advantages || no barrier to high speed travel __ allows use of structural materials incompatible with oxygen and water __ no | + | | Advantages || no barrier to high speed travel __ allows use of structural materials incompatible with oxygen and water __ no barrier to observations __ no wind born dust __ no requirement for structures to withstand weather || convenient source of carbon & oxygen __ allows use of aerobraking and other aerodynamic effects __ protects against electrostatically levitated dust and most meteors |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Disadvantages || leads to dewetting of lubricated surfaces __ can not be breathed by people or internal combustion engines __ requires space suit protection of people __ requires pressure chambers for industrial processing involving most liquids __ requires pressure chambers for industrial collection of gas __ no protection against micrometeoroids or | + | | Disadvantages || leads to dewetting of lubricated surfaces __ can not be breathed by people or internal combustion engines __ requires space suit protection of people __ requires pressure chambers for industrial processing involving most liquids __ requires pressure chambers for industrial collection of gas __ no protection against micrometeoroids or electrostatically levitated dust || can not be breathed by people or internal combustion engines __ requires about the same suit protection of people as a vacuum __ requires pressure chambers for industrial processing involving most liquids __ blows dust storms __ interferes with observations __ requires structural considerations to deal with weather __ does not permit electrical acceleration to orbital velocity |
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| ''Gravity'' || 1.62 meters per second squared || 3.66 meters per second squared | | ''Gravity'' || 1.62 meters per second squared || 3.66 meters per second squared | ||
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| Disadvantages || lunar gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work || Mars gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work | | Disadvantages || lunar gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work || Mars gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work | ||
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| − | | Round Trip Communications Delay || 2.56 seconds || about 23 minutes average, about 540 times the delay for Luna | + | | Round Trip Communications Delay || 2.56 seconds || about 23 minutes average, about 540 times the delay for Luna |
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| + | | Disadvantages || remote controlled industrial development will be made more difficult || remote controlled industrial development will be made more difficult, perhaps requiring advances in artificial intelligence | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Availability of Elements Necessary Human Civilization || Volatiles such as are rare. Especially hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen are very scarce. Iron is present in small grains in reduced metallic state. || All needed elements are present. | ||
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| − | + | The atmosphere of Mars being 0.1 psi Carbon Dioxide is taken from http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html | |
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Revision as of 09:17, 10 October 2008
| Quality | Luna | Mars |
|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere | Vacuum | 0.1 psi Carbon Dioxide |
| Advantages | no barrier to high speed travel __ allows use of structural materials incompatible with oxygen and water __ no barrier to observations __ no wind born dust __ no requirement for structures to withstand weather | convenient source of carbon & oxygen __ allows use of aerobraking and other aerodynamic effects __ protects against electrostatically levitated dust and most meteors |
| Disadvantages | leads to dewetting of lubricated surfaces __ can not be breathed by people or internal combustion engines __ requires space suit protection of people __ requires pressure chambers for industrial processing involving most liquids __ requires pressure chambers for industrial collection of gas __ no protection against micrometeoroids or electrostatically levitated dust | can not be breathed by people or internal combustion engines __ requires about the same suit protection of people as a vacuum __ requires pressure chambers for industrial processing involving most liquids __ blows dust storms __ interferes with observations __ requires structural considerations to deal with weather __ does not permit electrical acceleration to orbital velocity |
| Gravity | 1.62 meters per second squared | 3.66 meters per second squared |
| Advantages | lower loading on structures to resist gravity than on Mars __ 04.7% of energy needed to orbit Earth can get to lunar orbit | lower loading on structures to resist gravity than on Earth __ 20% of energy needed to orbit Earth can get to Mars orbit |
| Disadvantages | lunar gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work | Mars gravity may be insufficient to maintain human health __ low gravity causes problems with low traction for construction work |
| Round Trip Communications Delay | 2.56 seconds | about 23 minutes average, about 540 times the delay for Luna |
| Disadvantages | remote controlled industrial development will be made more difficult | remote controlled industrial development will be made more difficult, perhaps requiring advances in artificial intelligence |
| Availability of Elements Necessary Human Civilization | Volatiles such as are rare. Especially hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen are very scarce. Iron is present in small grains in reduced metallic state. | All needed elements are present. |
The atmosphere of Mars being 0.1 psi Carbon Dioxide is taken from http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html
