For those who REALLY want to get away from it all

[fragger]

 :-D hehehe

I didn't know about the 10-year life expectancy, JRD. Why such a drastic reduction, I wonder?

Maybe the other colonists bump you off after ten years so you won't get old enough to start being a burden to them...

[Art Blade]

hmm.. I wonder what "retirement" looks like for the first colonists.. maybe that's why it's only 10 years life expectancy. They kill themselves. Oh, they don't have hospitals there, either..

[JRD]

Well, I am not 100% positive about the 10 years thing. This is just how I remember reading about it, I may be wrong.

But if I remember correctly it is because the first settlers will have to create the first basic housing structures and live the first few years on dehydrated meals, recicled water and be exposed to radiation as they build their home. Imagine not being able to feel sunlight over your skin, adapt to a different day-night cycle, not eat fresh fruits, vegetables and be 24/7 working and facing an incredibly stressful environment. It would kill you in less than 10 years even if you were on Earth!

As Art said, there's no hospitals there. I assume medical training would be required to all settlers and a couple medics would have to be there as well but with very limited supply of medicine and resources to treat any illness and injuries. What if a guy breaks a leg? Any X-ray machines there? Can someone perform basic surgery? Imagine a toothache? You can only take so many painkillers and band aids with you  ???

[Art Blade]

yep, that's a tad frightening. They'll do it wild west style when the barber was also the dentist.

[JRD]

yep, that's a tad frightening. They'll do it wild west style when the barber was also the dentist.

You mean the butcher was also the dentist!  ???

[Art Blade]

no, the butcher was just a butcher but else, he killed people. I suppose.  :-D

[Binnatics]

Or he had the task to get rid of the bodies :-()

I think a group of people like these settlers would better become drug addicts; they would be better equipped for all the mental challenges, and thus have probably less problems dealing with any physical uncommodities at the spot. They'd even last longer I suppose, although not in a too progressive state of mind :-D

[Art Blade]

Yep, slip them some LSD and have them all tripping. "OH! Dude, this is so far out! All these COLOURS! And how beautiful everything is! I need to take a walk outside.." <opens air lock> :-()

[fragger]

 

A few things about Mars that you'd have to get used to:

Duration of day: 24 hours, 37 minutes
Not much different from Earth, but enough to throw all your Earth-based timepieces out of whack. Have to come up with new ones.

Duration of year: 687 Earth days
A long time between birthdays if you're born on Mars. A twenty-year-old Martian would be equal in age to a 37yo Earthling. If you still wanted to use a 12-month calendar, each month would have to average 57 days in length.

Gravity: 0.375 Earth standard G
Over time, what would this do to muscle mass, skeletal density, blood pressure, etc.? If the colonists decided to start reproducing, would their future generations gradually get taller and skinnier?

Axial Tilt: 25°
Still have seasons, all of them long and in varying degrees of cold.

No backyard barbies
That rips it - I'm not going.

[JRD]

No backyard barbies
That rips it - I'm not going.

   :-X

Not to mention that if you run out of beer it may take a while till you get a refil!   :-(

[fragger]

That definitely rips it :-()

[JRD]

You know one thing I believe would be an amazing thing to take with you?

A 3D printer!

Think about it. If you need an object, either you take it with you on the ship or you're doomed... and you can not keep enough spares of everything you will need to carry for this trip.

If you need a given tool and you don't have it or if the last one just broke, Earth can just send you the file to print it in Mars. Those 3D printers can print very complex objects with connected moving parts. You could probaby print a whole engine or complex machinery for scientific analysis..

Of course, you just need a shitload of photopolymer, which is what the printers use to print stuff  :-()

[Art Blade]

life expectancy 10 years.. martian years? = 18.5 earth years. Hey, there you go. :)

[Binnatics]

   :-X

Not to mention that if you run out of beer it may take a while till you get a refil!   :-(

But you wouldn't have to worry about keeping it chilled ;)

[Art Blade]

"Alright *hip* guys, I'll put the rest of the bee..*hip* -- 'scuse me -- beer outside so it will shhhhtay chilled." <opens air lock>

[Binnatics]

 

[fragger]

 

That air lock sure gets opened a lot :-()

[Art Blade]

"Hey, I think the air lock is broken. Can someone please check it?"
"Lemme thandle this, I need some workout."
<opens air lock> *FOOMP* <airlock slams shut>
"Whoa, he left in a hurry! Bye there.. pity he didn't put on that space suit.. Right, I think it works."
"Hey! I see a guy out there waving his hands like a madman! He's right there!"
"Maybe he's trying to flank us!"
"What do we do?! What do we do?!"
"Shoot him, you goddamn idiot!"


:-()

[Binnatics]

 :) :-X

[fragger]

 

[mandru]

You know one thing I believe would be an amazing thing to take with you?

A 3D printer!  ...  Of course, you just need a shitload of photopolymer, which is what the printers use to print stuff  :-()

This has been my exact thought for the last few years.  At least ever since I saw a video demonstrating the creation of a fully functional adjustable crescent wrench printed from a computer file.  The ability to keep a complete set of data instructions for replacement parts and possible needed hand tools in memory storage without the weight of hauling along the metal stock. a foundry and mill to access them would be a tremendous asset to any long term mission.

A few additional points to consider that I've reasoned out while thinking about this important utility.

* For weightless conditions there would need to be a pseudo-gravity centrifuge to spin up the printer so that the photopolymer would stay put during its processing.  Also consider that a large enough centrifuge would allow crew members the opportunity to spend time excercising under the influence of G-forces to eliminate some of the detrimental side effects of long term weightlessness.  The rotating wings of the Russian ship in the movie 2010: Odyssey Two served as a huge centrifuge (providing almost all the comforts of Home Gee  :-() ).

* Developing a recyclable photopolymer.  Once the need for a rarely used tool or item has been met the ability to recycle it back to a raw base state would be essentially vital.  That way as a resource it can be used over and over.  It would also greatly reduce the amount of photopolymer needed for the mission.

* The electronic components for needed diagnostic tools can be stored in a much lighter and compact form than the ergonomic housings necessary to make them convenient to hold by either a spacesuit gloved or bare hand.  When a need for such equipment arises determine if it's needed inside or outside and print the enclosure required.  Then simply snap the circuits into the case, add a power supply and you're good to go.  When the job is done recycle the case and stow the components.

* And last but not least - when crewman Harris goes crazy from spacecabin fever and keeps printing up life size 3D models of his girl back home you don't have to further spend precious photopolymer resources printing up a left handed heavy spanner wrench to smash his brains out.  >:D

(Edit: Trimmed some clunky wording  :-[ )

[Art Blade]

 

[JRD]

Just like you, mandru, the first thing I thought about when I first saw a YT video of a 3D printer was "how useful it is going to be if they are actually sending people to Mars".

The recyclable photopolymer and the centrifuge are also great insights from you!  :-X

I believe in the future they will be experimenting with different materials and a 3D printer will be able to print complex objects made of different polymers for even increased variability of possible printable objects. Parts that will be facing extreme heat can be printed with a heat-resistant polymer, parts that need to sustain heavy weight without deforming can be printed with resistant polymer and pieces that need to fold could be printed with flexible polymer. The Mars crew could get upgrades of nearly anything they have and even objects that eventually are invented after they depart by simply transmitting the file via radio to their base computer... even a new 3D printer v2.0  8)

[mandru]

3D printers are currently going in many directions.

I've seen a 3 color polymer printer that uses spooled polymer wires to create items that look better than the single color ones.  There are 3D printers that w@&k in various metals but returning molten metal in recycling to wire form for printer feed is more difficult than extruding polymer as wire or the powder some of the printers use.

I've also heard that the 3D printing of genetic DNA is not that far over the horizon.

Anyone need a crop of carrots that will attack and feed on common pests that have been the bane of farmers from the dawn of agriculture?

[JRD]

I've also heard that the 3D printing of genetic DNA is not that far over the horizon.

Anyone need a crop of carrots that will attack and feed on common pests that have been the bane of farmers from the dawn of agriculture?

Forget about carrots... people will be printing girlfriends and trading them!  8-X