More News From Mars? Afraid Nasa Funding Could Dry Up?

[Blind groper]

I suppose NASA better get off their asses and invent

There is, in fact, a possible solution, in theory. Cosmic rays are electrically charged, and could be deflected away from a space craft with a suitable magnetic field. Still needs a bit of work, though.

[mistermack]

I suppose NASA better get off their asses and invent

There is, in fact, a possible solution, in theory. Cosmic rays are electrically charged, and could be deflected away from a space craft with a suitable magnetic field. Still needs a bit of work, though.

I really don't think shielding is that much of a problem, once you can source materials from Mars or the Moon. You can stop cosmic rays with low-grade rubbish.

Also, I don't think that not looking directly out of doors is really going to drive people mad.
These days people work in offices, in artificial light, or factories, or mines, and come out when it's dark, and go to work in the dark. ( in winter ). No major problems have stopped them.

[Blind groper]

To mistermack

Cosmic rays are not much of a problem if you are on a planet with an atmosphere. Even on Mars, with a thin atmosphere, very little gets through. But if you are in space, like a space city, things are different, and a screen is needed for anyone spending a lot of time there.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

These days people work in offices, in artificial light, or factories, or mines, and come out when it's dark, and go to work in the dark. ( in winter ). No major problems have stopped them.

...and how many of those offices have no windows? Or no respite from work-periods; where an employee can enjoy normal, Earth levels of light, atmosphere and gravity?

Hoomunz tend to like sunlight, 1g, 20% O2/ 80% N2 and react badly to not having a ready supply of the same at least once or twice a day!!

And I haven't even touched upon the availability of cheese!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The troops that manned the Maginot Line had to take special treatments to avoid bunker funk. People wintering over in Antarctica ditto.

[Blind groper]

Hoomunz tend to like sunlight, 1g, 20% O2/ 80% N2 and react badly to not having a ready supply of the same at least once or twice a day!!

To the best of my knowledge, there is not credible scientific evidence to suggest that people cannot go without any one, and possibly all of the above.

Sunlight?
Can be supplied in artificial form by daylight lamps.

Gravity?
We lack data. We know that weightlessness is not good for long periods. But we do not know what a long time at Mars, or even lunar gravity will do.

Oxygen?
The equivalent of less than 20% oxygen is experienced all the time with people who live in the Himalayas and the Andes. They adapt very nicely.

Nitrogen?
People on the space station breath little or no nitrogen. They breath almost pure oxygen at one fifth of one atmosphere pressure. This is apparently harmless.

[Blind groper]

To Gawdzilla

I presume that what you call bunker funk is actually claustrophobia?

This is a potential problem for both astronauts and the submarine service. The recruits are carefully screened and then thoroughly trained. Actual incidents of claustrophobia after that are rare.

Most adults will know if they are prone to this problem. I know from scuba diving, including exploring underwater caves, that I am not.

[Jason]

What about testicular sweating? This is a major issue that has not been addressed.

Testicular sweat has a funky smell. It's insipid and spreads throughout a confined space. How in the smelly hell are we going to keep our colonies/space stations from smelling like balls?!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

To Gawdzilla

I presume that what you call bunker funk is actually claustrophobia?

This is a potential problem for both astronauts and the submarine service. The recruits are carefully screened and then thoroughly trained. Actual incidents of claustrophobia after that are rare.

Most adults will know if they are prone to this problem. I know from scuba diving, including exploring underwater caves, that I am not.

No, it's not that simple.

[Jason]

Balls! The fucking places are going to smell like hot sweaty balls!

[Blind groper]

No, it's not that simple.

Well, submariners live in confined spaces for substantial lengths of time, so it is obviously not insurmountable.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

No, it's not that simple.

Well, submariners live in confined spaces for substantial lengths of time, so it is obviously not insurmountable.

True. But refresh my memory. How many submariners spend their entire lives deployed?

[Jason]

No, it's not that simple.

Well, submariners live in confined spaces for substantial lengths of time, so it is obviously not insurmountable.

And they smell like ball sweat!

[Blind groper]

True. But refresh my memory. How many submariners spend their entire lives deployed?

Correct me if I am wrong, but I surmise that this question is related to Mars or space colonists spending their lives in tunnels or a space ship?

Assuming I interpret your question correctly, I agree that is a concern. However, there is no reason why a Mars colonist, for example, needs to live in small tunnels. The tunnels could include spaces the size of the Colosseum. Their tunnels could also be artistically decorated and very comfortable. The people on Mars, of course, will spend a small amount of time on the surface.

Nor is this life style unheard of, even on Earth. In the town of Coober Pedy, in South Australia, opal miners live in tunnels converted to comfortable homes and work in underground tunnels. They spend the vast bulk of their lives in tunnels, and remain sane (or as sane as any Australian is). By way of explanation, Coober Pedy is in the desert, and hotter than Hades. people like being underground.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

or as sane as any Australian is

You defeat your own argument, Sir...




Also, I am not convinced that there is anything hotter than Hades!

I mean...