Luna and Mars Characteristics

A Selection of Luna's and Mars' Characteristics

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, nitrogen and argon __ allows use of aerobraking and other aerodynamic effects __ protects against electrostatically levitated dust and micrometeors
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 mercury 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 in concentrations recoverable by industrial processes. Adequate quantities are available for developing an extensive outpost of civilization.