Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
What is the best way to sustain life on Mars? - Coggle Diagram
What is the best way to sustain life on Mars?
What are some properties of sustaining life?
Water
It acts a basis for biochemical reactions
Photosynthesis for plant energy
Respiration for converting oxygen into carbon dioxide
Cellular respiration for converting glucose into energy
Humans are 60% water
Plants are 70-90% water
Nutrition
Needed for growth or repair of organisms
E.G fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals
Energy
Required for the function of any biological process
Energy is crucial for movement, reproduction and metabolism
Energy allows every cycle and system in the universe to function
Most forms of energy on Earth are from the Sun
Environment and Atmosphere
Many cells only function best at their specific temperatures
For plants it is around 21 to 29 degrees
For humans it is at least 18 degrees, but thrive at around 27
Reproduction
Seed dispersal is essential for plant reproduction
Seed dispersal can only occur in specific environments
What are the properties of Mars?
Water Availability
Polar ice caps store frozen carbon dioxide
Significant amounts of water-ice found in pockets underground
Lack of a water cycle
Sunlight/Temperature
Sunlight is only around 60% of the strength of sunlight on Earth
Mars' further distance from the sun means it take 13 minutes for light to reach it
Much lower temperatures
Around -65 degrees Celsius but regularly fluctuates
Because of its thin atmosphere being unable to maintain heat
High abundance of gamma radiation on surface because of sun
Lack of magnetic field
Thinner atmosphere
Radiation from the Sun is deflected less effectively
Gravity
Only has around 38% of the earth's gravity
Could effect growth due to changes in root development or cell structure
Climate
A Martian day is 24.6 hours (similar to Earth)
A Martian year is 687 days
Mars does have seasons, similar to Earth due to its tilt
How can we extract and store water on Mars?
Extraction of Martian polar ice
Drills can access the subsurface water and extract it
A heater can be used to then melt the ice
Only accessible from the poles, making it a challenge to transport far from there
The unfrozen water can potentially have harmful bacteria, making it unsafe to drink
Filtration or boiling can sterilise the water
Capturing atmospheric water vapour
Martian atmosphere contains 0.03% water
Devices similar to dehumidifiers can process the air and extract water vapour
Lower humidity of Mars compared to Earth means more energy will need to be used for less results
Inconsistent humidity across seasons means sometimes the output will be lower
Will be able to be accessed from all parts of Mars
Recycling and reuse of existing water
Systems can be produced to purify and recycle water used on Mars
Distillation of water can utilise transformation of water into steam to remove any contaminants
Grey water recycling systems can be used on Mars to recycle shower water, waste water and laundry water by purifying it
Transpiration of water from plants can also be captured and reused
Transportation of water from Earth
Water can be transported from Earth to Mars via spacecraft
Will be extremely costly and space inefficient
Generally would need to be provided across multiple trips due to the high density of water
Storing water
Radiation shielding
Required to protect water from cosmic/solar radiation
Radiation shields can be used
Storing water underground
Can utilise premade subsurface reservoirs to store water
Reduces losses from evaporation
Naturally shields from radiation contamination
If no reservoirs are nearby drills will need to be used to create storage
Above ground tanks
Insulation would be needed to prevent water from freezing or rapidly changing in temperature
Tanks would need to be made of durable materials like basalt that survive the Martian atmosphere
Radiation shielding would need to be used
These can then transport water over to greenhouses or growth chambers to benefit plants
This could be transported underground to prevent the need for consistent radiation and temperature protection
How can we transport plants to Mars?
How is transporting seeds better?
Weight/Space
Smaller sizes and weights
More can be transported at one time
Therefore is easier and more cost-effective to transport
Resistance
More resilient to the conditions of space travel
The shell is already designed to resist severe temperatures on Earth
Therefore more likely to survive the journey
Easily stored due to smaller sizes and can be handled with lesser risks of damages
Are seeds alive or dead?
They are alive, however they are in a domant state
Means their metabolic activities are just enough for extended periods of survival
They contain living cells, which germinate and grow into plants in correct conditions
How is transporting plants less viable?
Care
Constant care is needed during the trip
More supplies would need to be packed to support the plants
E.G water, nutrients, light
Weight/Space
Plants have higher weight and sizes
Higher costs to transport
Due to more frequent transportations of plants due to their heavier weight
Less amounts of plants able to be transported
Fragility
Plants are more fragile and susceptible
Harsh conditions of space travel (takeoff, microgravity etc.) might negatively impact the plants
Selection of the correct plants
Plants that are resilient to extremely cold temperatures
Potentially plants that need less light
Genetic modification of plants to increase tolerance
Higher radiation tolerance
Tolerance for lower gravities
Seed care on spacecraft
Likely only minimal care
Many seeds can remain dormant for around 1 to 3 years
The seeds can therefore not be cared for and still germinate
Ideal seed conditions
Around 30% humidity
Around 15 degrees celsius
How can we transport humans to Mars?
Rocket Speed
Current rocket speeds have plateaued due to us reaching the limit of hydrogen-oxygen powered launchers
Currently would take around 7 months to travel to Mars which is too long of a trip for mass transportation
Rockets would need to be significantly faster
Potential use of nuclear propulsion can be more than 3 times more efficient than chemical propulsion, however it is still under development
Creating single-use rockets is inefficient
Would therefore be too expensive to commercialise trips to Mars
SpaceX is working on a reuseble rocket called Starship
Has been in development since 2012
Starship competitors like China's Long March 9/10 rockets are in development
Reusable rockets are likely the most efficient methods of transport to Mars
Rocket Design
Materials
Lightweight materials to ensure efficient weight distribution
E.G aerospace-grade aluminium and titanium
Future rockets planned to utilise carbon composite
Solar Sails
Concept being explored by NASA that results in fuel-less propulsion
Utilises the pressure of sunlight to propel the spacecraft
Has not been used on a large scale due to incredibly precise calculations to ensure successful launch and control
Gravity Assists
Uses gravitational pull of nearby objects to gain momentum of rocket
Commonly used by NASA and SpaceX
If rockets are commercialised, this may not be used all the time due to precise calculations needed to ensure rockets get within range of larger bodies
In-Space refuelling
Useful for long-term trips like to Mars, allowing for less rocket space to be used for storing fuel
Currently a concept being worked on by both NASA and SpaceX
How can we protect ourselves and plants from Martian conditions/weather?
Radiation protection
Materials like hydrogen can protect from the gamma radiation by fragmenting the heavy ions
Therefore, use materials like polyethylene as radiation shielding
Thick walls would need to be built for habitats
These radiation protections could add significant costs to buildings
Temperature control
Insulation can be used to maintain any heat inside habitats
Heaters are essential for comfortable temperatures for both plants and humans
Temperatures need to be adjustable to suit both humans and plants
Dust storm protection
Habitats need to be extremely well-sealed to ensure minimal dust entering
Habitats should also incorporate technologies that reduce dust gathering
Habitat materials like metals which can withstand corrosion are essential for reducing wear and tear of habitats
Dust storms and similar occurrences will always damage habitats, stronger materials only slow it down so repairs would be common and expensive
Outdoor protection
Plants should remain indoors as a controlled environment is essential for its survival
Leaving the habitats would not be recommended due to harsh environments
Spacesuits would need to be widely available to protect from radiation and low temperatures
How can plants be effectively grown on Mars?
Controlled environments
Growth chambers can act as different different environments for the different plants grown
Act as different wings in a singular greenhouse with controlled environments
E.G a 15-18 degree Celsius temperature for tomato plants
Greenhouses can also be used, similar to Earth for natural sunlight
Each environment needs to be optimised for a plant's survival as well as ensuring it is the best possible conditions for germination
Light
While natural sunlight can be used, it is less reliable than Earth
60% lower strength sunlight means plants would require more sunlight to photosynthesise and dust storms can further reduce sunlight visibility
LED Light cycles can mimic sunlight patterns similar to Earth
LED lights can be incorporated alongside sunlight to ensure plants recieve consistent amounts of sunlight compared to Earth
Soil substitutes
Hydroponics
Plants are grown efficiently without soil through water flow
Allows for control of nutrient delivery
Water is easily recyclable
Aeroponics
Plants are suspended in the air
Nutrients are then sprayed in the air for plants to absorb
Uses significantly less water compared to other growing methods
Soil is not naturally found on Mars and therefore needs to be transported
Cost inefficient and wastes valuable rocket space
Martian soil contains toxic perchlorate and lacks nutrients for plants
Photosynthesis
Utilise the higher levels of carbon dioxide in Martian atmopshere
Higher levels of carbon dioxide promote photosynthesis, capturing and releasing it through respiration
Results in higher growth and production rates of plants
How can we harvest and store energy on Mars?
Importance of energy
Allows for the workings of almost every process needed to survive on Mars
Energy would be needed to sustain the habitats through electricity
It is needed to keep plants alive
Solar power
Solar panels are a technology that converts solar energy into electrical energy
Already extremely common technology on Earth, so therefore easy to adapt to
Anti-static coatings or auto-cleaners would need to be incorporated to ensure dust does not cover panels
Nuclear energy
Nuclear fission reactors
Nuclear reactors similar to nuclear plants on Earth can be installed
It can produce significant amounts of energy whilst remaining renewable
There may be concerns for safety due to its extremely fragile nature
Already extremely fragile on Earth, on Mars would need extensively more protection to ensure nuclear meltdowns do not occur
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs)
Converts the heat energy produced from isotopes like plutonium-238 to produce electrical energy
Produces a constant supply of energy independent from sunlight
May be hard to mass-produce across Mars due to limited access to radioisotopes
Wind energy
The constant strong winds on Mars create an optimal environment for wind turbines
They use the forces of wind to spin propellers, creating electrical energy
How could the moving parts of a wind turbine be re-engineered to be resistant to dust storms?
Storage of energy
Lithium-ion batteries
A technology currently mass-produced globally and commonly used
High efficiency and energy density
Over time after many uses, the battery may wear and lose capacity and efficiency
Hydrogen fuel cells
A cell which converts electrical power into hydrogen, essentially storing the energy
Energy can then be released by using the gas as fuel
It requires significant amounts of water, a scarce resource on Mars
These energy storage devices can then forward electricity towards habitats and greenhouses, supplying the high energy requirements for living on Mars
How can we get oxygen on Mars?
NASA Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilisation Experiment
An experimental device made by NASA on the Perserverance Rover
Utilises solid oxide electrolysis to separate the oxygen molecule from carbon dioxide
MOXIE is currently a small-scale expriment and larger scale (several hundred times larger) is needed for enough oxygen
Plants
Photosynthesis could theoretically be used to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen
This could work in a closed environment with specific, optimised conditions where carbon dioxide enters gradually
For an efficient use case, large amounts of plants would need to be used
A collection system would need to be implemented to gather the oxygen
Sabatier reaction and electrolysis
The Sabatier reaction is reduction of carbon dioxide to produce methane and water as products
The resulting water can then be electrolysed to separate the oxygen from the water molecules
Storage
Tanks could be placed outside of habitats for immediate access to oxygen
It could also be compressed for higher density storage
Pipes can be used to connect tanks to a central location, where the oxygen is being harvested