Terraforming Mars
Edited by Martin Beech
Joseph Seckbach
and Richard Gordon
ISBN 9781119761969
eISBN 9781119761860
ASIN B09M9CBYSW
First this is one of the most memorable Science Text I have read in years. It ranks up there with reading In Search of Schrodinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality by John Gribbin and more recent favourites How To Think Like A Neandertal by Thomas Wynn and Frederick L. Coolidge and Caffeinated: How Our Daily Habit Hooks, Helps and Hurts Us by Murray Carpenter. But this one was by far the most technical piece I have read. Second I am grateful for digital lending libraries, this volume would have been way out of my price point for a leisure read. And third I stumbled across this while writing a review for the novelization of the Terraforming Mars game, a novel; In the Shadow of Deimos by Jane Killick Terraforming Mars Book 1.
This volume was a stretch for me. Both in content and theory. But I took my time and worked my way through it. Some of the scientific notations are well beyond my grasp, but the theories for the most part were easily accessible. The volume is edited by Martin Beech, Joseph Seckbach and Richard Gordon. The chapters sections and subsections of the book are:
Preface
Part 1: Introduction
1 Terraforming and Colonizing Mars
Giancarlo Genta
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Earth: A Terraformed Planet
1.3 Planetary Environments
1.4 Terraforming Mars
1.5 The Role of Solar Wind
1.6 Ethical Aspects
1.7 Venus, Moon, Titan…
References
Part 2: Engineering Mars
2 Terraforming Worlds: Humans Playing Games of Gods
Nilo Serpa and Richard Cathcart
Early Mars
Oceans Here and There
The Mars We are Creating Here
Mars: An Arena of Delusions?
References
3 Mars, A Stepping-Stone World, Macro-Engineered
Richard B. Cathcart
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Mars-Crust as Kinetic Architecture
3.3 A Crust-Infrastructure Mixture
3.4 Infrastructure and Life-Styles
3.5 Atmosphere Enhancements for Mars
3.6 Between Then and Now
Acknowledgments
References
4 Efficient Martian Settlement with the Mars Terraformer Transfer (MATT)
and the Omaha Trail
Gary Stewart
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Construction Efficiencies of MATT’s Small-Scale Terraformation
4.2.1 Impact Terraformation for Settlement
4.2.2 Impactor Redirection with DE-STARLITE
4.2.3 Subaqueous Hab Network at Omaha Crater
4.3 Provisioning Efficiencies of the Omaha Trail
4.3.1 Deimos Dock
4.3.2 Mars Lift
4.3.3 Arestation
4.3.4 Deimos Rail Launcher (DRL)
4.4 Cosmic Ray Protection: From Omaha Trail to Omaha Shield
4.5 Conclusion
References
5 Mars Colonization: Beyond Getting There
Igor Levchenko, Shuyan Xu, Stéphane Mazouffre, Michael Keidar
and Kateryna Bazaka
5.1 Mars Colonization – Do We Need it?
5.2 Legal Considerations
5.2.1 Do Earth Laws Apply To Mars Colonists?
5.2.2 Sovereignty
5.2.3 Human Rights
5.2.4 Abortion
5.3 Ethical Considerations
5.3.1 General
5.3.2 Human Reproduction – Ethical Considerations
5.3.3 Social Isolation and No Privacy – Rolled into One
5.3.4 Advocacy for Mars – is it Ethical at All to Colonize it?
5.4 Consideration of Resources
5.5 Quo Vadis, the Only Civilization We Know?
5.6 Afterword. Where are We Three Years Later?
5.6.1 Current Programs and Their Status – in Brief
5.6.2 Any News About Mars?
5.6.3 Tasks and Challenges
Acknowledgements
References
Part 3: Ethical Exploration
6 The Ethics of Terraforming: A Critical Survey of Six Arguments
Ian Stoner
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Audience and Method
6.3 Preservationist Arguments
6.3.1 We Should Preserve Mars’s Value as a Unique Object
of Scientific Interest
6.3.2 We Should Preserve the Integrity of the Martian Wilderness
6.3.3 We Should Avoid Expressing Colonialist Vices
6.4 Interventionist Arguments
6.4.1 We Should Fulfill our Inborn Nature as Pioneers
6.4.2 We Should Increase Our Species’ Chance of Long-Term Survival
6.4.3 We Should Rehabilitate Mars for Martians
6.5 Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
7 Homo Reductio Eco-Nihilism and Human Colonization of Other Worlds
Kelly Smith
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Implicit Assumptions
7.3 Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References
8 Ethical, Political and Legal Challenges Relating to Colonizing
and Terraforming Mars
Konrad Szocik
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Ethical Issues in Colonizing and Terraforming Mars
8.3 Ethics of Human Enhancement for Space
8.4 Environmental Ethics in Space
8.5 Political Issues in Colonizing and Terraforming Mars
8.6 Legal Issues in Colonizing and Terraforming Mars
8.7 Sexual and Reproductive Laws in a Mars Colony
8.8 Migration Law in Space
8.9 Why Terraforming Mars May Be Necessary from Ethical, Political
and Legal Perspectives
8.10 Conclusions
References
Part 4: Indigenous Life on Mars
9 Life on Mars: Past, Present, and Future
Martin Beech and Mark Comte
9.1 A Very Brief Historical Introduction
9.2 Indigenous Life: Past and Present
9.2.1 Beginnings
9.2.2 The Viking Experiments
9.2.3 Martian Meteorites
9.2.4 In Plain Sight
9.3 Seeded Life: The Future
9.4 Per Aspera ad Astra
References
10 Terraforming on Early Mars?
M. Polgári, I. Gyollai and Sz. Bérczi
10.1 Introduction
10.1.1 Aspects of Biogenicity
10.1.2 Methodology
10.1.3 Multihierarchical System Analyses
10.2 Outline of Section 10.2
10.2.1 Review of Research on Martian Life
10.2.2 Biosignatures in Martian Meteorites Based on Mineralogical
and Textural Investigation
10.2.3 Biosignatures in Chondritic Meteorites
10.2.3.1 Interpretations
10.2.3.2 Clay Formation
10.2.3.3 Interpretation No. 1
10.2.3.4 Interpretation No. 2 (Preferred)
10.2.4 Terrestrial Analogues of Biosignatures
10.2.5 Implications to Terraforming of Ancient Life on Mars on the Basis
of Terrestrial and Meteoritic Analogues
10.3 Novel Interpretation of the Formation Process Based on Mineral
Assemblages
10.3.1 Martian Meteorites
10.3.2 Interpretation of Mineral Assemblages on Mars
10.3.3 Novel Interpretation of Mineral Dataset of Exploration
of Curiosity in Gale Crater
10.4 Conclusion
Acknowledgment
References
Part 5: Living on Mars
11 Omaha Field – A Magnetostatic Cosmic Radiation Shield for a Crewed
Mars Facility
Gary Stewart
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Methods
11.2.1 Software
11.2.2 Testing
11.3 Design
11.3.1 Crater
11.3.2 Current
11.3.3 Circuits
11.4 Results 288
11.4.1 Shielding Against 500 MeV Protons
11.4.2 Shielding Against 1 GeV Protons
11.4.3 Shielding Effectiveness in the Mars Environment
11.5 Discussion
11.5.1 Electrostatics
11.5.2 Refrigeration
11.5.3 Self-Shielding Solenoids
11.5.4 Alternate Self-Shielding and Source-Shielding
11.5.5 Safety in Transit Across Crater Rim
11.5.6 Safety in Spacecraft Launch and Landing
References
12 Mars Future Settlements: Active Radiation Shielding and Design
Criteria About Habitats and Infrastructures
Marco Peroni
12.1 Introduction
12.2 The Problem of Cosmic Radiations
12.3 The Protection System with Artificial Magnetic Fields
12.4 Details of Our Proposal
12.5 Further Developments
12.6 Modular Settlement on Mars
Acknowledgments
References
13 Crop Growth and Viability of Seeds on Mars and Moon Soil Simulants
G.W.W. Wamelink, J.Y. Frissel, W.H.J. Krijnen and M.R. Verwoert
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Materials and Methods
13.2.1 Regoliths
13.2.2 Species Selection
13.2.3 Organic Matter and Bacteria
13.2.4 Experimental Design
13.2.5 Harvest and Measurements
13.3 Results
13.3.1 Fruit Setting and Biomass
13.3.2 Seed Weight and Germination
13.4 Discussion
13.5 Outlook Issues for the Future
Acknowledgements
References
Appendix
14 The First Settlement of Mars
Chris Hajduk
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Colony Location
14.3 Colony Timeline
14.3.1 Setup Phase
14.3.2 Investment Phase
14.3.3 Self-Sufficiency
14.4 Colony Design
14.5 The Basics – Power, Air, Water, Food
14.5.1 Food
14.5.2 Water
14.5.3 Air
14.5.4 Power
14.6 The Material World
14.6.1 Metals
14.6.2 Plastics
14.6.3 Ceramics and Composites
14.6.4 Mining
14.7 Exports, Economics, Investment and Cash Flow
14.7.1 Interplanetary Real Estate
14.7.2 Intellectual Property Export
14.7.3 Research Tourism
14.7.4 Investment and Cash Flow
14.8 Politics – A Socialist’s World
14.9 Conclusion and Further Thoughts
References
Part 6: In Situ Resources
15 Vulcanism on Mars
Ian M. Coulson
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Martian Geology
15.2.1 Mars: Creation and Thermal Evolution
15.2.2 The Martian Crust
15.3 Vulcanism
15.3.1 Types of Volcanoes
15.3.1.1 Earth
15.3.1.2 Mars
15.3.2 Recognition of Other Styles of Vulcanism
15.3.3 Martian Meteorites
15.3.4 Is Mars Still Volcanically Active?
References
16 Potential Impact-Related Mineral Resources on Mars
Jake R. Crandall, Justin Filiberto and Sally L. Potter-McIntyre
Introduction
Terrestrial Ore Deposit Types Associated with Impact Craters
Progenetic Deposits
Syngenetic Deposits
Epigenetic Deposits
Martian Target Craters
Ritchey Crater
Gale Crater
Gusev Crater
Conclusions
References
17 Red Gold – Practical Methods for Precious-Metal Survey, Open-Pit
Mining, and Open-Air Refining on Mars
Gary Stewart
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Martian Precious-Metal Ore from Asteroids
17.3 Martian Precious-Metal Survey and Physical Assay
17.4 “Mars Base Alpha” – A Red Gold Mining Camp
17.5 Semi-Autonomous Open-Pit Mining
17.6 Comminution and Separation of Meteorite Ore
17.7 Extracting Metals with Induction/Microwave Smelter
17.8 Refining with Hydrometallurgical Recovery and the Miller Process
17.9 Separating Precious Metals with Saltwater Electrolysis
17.10 Kovar Foundry
17.11 Maximizing ISRU, Minimizing Mass and Complexity
17.12 Scale-Up and Scale-Out
17.13 Conclusion, with Observations and Recommendations
References
Part 7: Terraforming Mars
18 Terraforming Mars: A Cabinet of Curiosities
Martin Beech
18.1 Introduction and Overview
18.2 Planet Mars: A Brief Observational History and Overview
18.3 The Beginnings of Change
18.4 The Foundations
18.5 First Blush
18.6 Digging In
18.7 (re)Building the Martian Atmosphere
18.8 Magnetic Shielding
18.9 Heating the Ground
18.10 A Question of Time
18.11 Conclusions
References
19 Terraforming Mars Rapidly Using Today’s Level of Technology
Mark Culaj
19.1 Introduction
19.2 Solar Wind
19.2.1 Solar Wind Abundances
19.2.2 Magnetic Lens
19.3 Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References
20 System Engineering Analysis of Terraforming Mars with an Emphasis
on Resource Importation Technology
Brandon Wong
20.1 Summary
20.2 Introduction
20.3 Key Problem
20.4 Key Stakeholders
20.5 Goals
20.6 Macro Level Alternatives
20.6.1 Terraforming
20.6.2 Paraterraforming
20.6.3 Bioforming
20.7 Macro-Level Trade Study
20.8 Macro-Level Conclusions
20.8.1 Concept of Operations
20.8.2 High-Level Requirements
20.8.3 Requirements Decomposition
20.8.4 Macro High-Level Design
20.9 Terraforming Efforts System - Detailed Requirements
20.10 Space Transportation System
20.11 Importing Resources Subsystem
20.11.1 Resources Needed
20.11.2 Resource Locations
20.11.3 Subsystem Needs
20.11.3.1 Subsystem Goals for Importing Resources Subsystem
20.11.3.2 Detailed Requirements for Importing Resources Subsystem
20.11.3.3 Alternatives for the Importing Resources Subsystem
20.11.3.4 Importing Resources Trade Study
20.11.3.5 Findings
20.11.3.6 Importing Resources Subsystem Design
20.12 Risks
20.12.1 Macro-Level Risks
20.12.2 Importing Resources Subsystem Risks
20.13 Lean Strategies
20.14 Ethical Considerations
20.15 Overall Conclusions
20.15.1 Proposed Implementation Plan
20.16 Acknowledgements
20.17 Appendix
20.17.1 Requirements Flowdown to System Implementation
References
21 The Potential of Pioneer Lichens in Terraforming Mars
Richard A. Armstrong
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Potential Role of Lichens in Terraformation
21.3 Exploiting Indigenous Lichens
21.4 Exploiting Lichen Symbionts on Mars
21.5 Inoculating Lichen Symbionts from Earth Cultures
21.6 Transplanting Terrestrial Lichens to Mars
21.7 Conclusions
References
Index
The table of contents is several pages and the index at the end spans 12 pages of double columns. I want to say I could not put the book down. But I had to put it down. Many of the pieces required thought and reflection before moving on. Not just looking at the technical implications, and various theories of the how, but looking at the questions of ‘How?’ and even “If?” we much more impactful. During one of my breaks from reading this, as I often only read a section or sub section a day I read a novel written by a different scientist. Under An Orange Sky by Manuel Alfonseca Solar System Book 1 when I picked it up, I was unaware it was the first in a trilogy, but it raises the question of should we Terraform Mars even if it would mean the elimination of native life, and in this case life with deep intelligence, but simple appearing lifeform.
I have mentioned this book to numerous people. It is one of those volumes I will be talking about for years. Much like How To Think Like A Neandertal mentioned at the beginning, this volume has stayed with me days and night over the over 2 months it has took me to read, and will stay with me for a long time to come. If you can lay your hands on it I can easily recommend it, no matter how much a stretch it is. It is an excellent read!
Related Fiction:
Manuel Alfonseca's Solar System Series:
Descent into the Hell of Venus
Operation Quatuor
...
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