Author Topic: The Farm  (Read 11619 times)

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Kronos

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Re: The Farm
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2009, 09:29:07 AM »
Do/will plants and cyanobacteria produce Oxygen for use, and act as a CO2 scrubber? So the more plants and cyanobacteria growth you have, the more O2 you'll have and less CO2 inside the habitat module.

What all would the medicines be for? Besides generic healing of health if someone was out in the cold for too long or lack of O2?

What would be the purpose of fish? Scientific research, expansion of colonists diets? What is a way that the water in the algae and fish tank(s) could be used to maximum potential? Water is known to be a good insulator against radiation, so I think it could be used to somewhat shield the colonists and should be positioned to do that in the best, but practical manner. Of course, if you're wanting things to live in the water, positioning the fish/algae tanks on the very outsides of a habitat module may not be the best option. As they'd need a certain level of protection from radiation, and extreme cold. Maybe have the fish/algae tanks on the second level, that way the ground floor, and perhaps below-ground floor would receive extra protection from radiation, due to the water, but the water would also be fairly protected from the cold and radiation? This would mean the second floor would either have to have a lot of windows to allow sunlight in for the algae, and/or use UV lights perhaps only during sandstorms when sunlight is reduced even further, and/or another option that I just thought of; use only a few windows, but use an array of sun-tracking electric powered mirrors to direct sunlight into those few windows. I think the final 2 options are the best.  :)
« Last Edit: November 24, 2009, 09:45:18 AM by Kronos »

Zaneo

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Re: The Farm
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2009, 10:52:16 AM »
Welcome to the group, It looks like you will bring some great ideas to the table. Hope to see you online.

Totally called him having great ideas, and yeah I know a few of us having been thinking of the implications of having a HAB with sub levels. Our current "excuse" for why radiation doesn't affect people in the hab isn't good enough. Let's face it, we said the hab had to be light to drop, and that a foam with lead was pumped into it. Chances are if we are seeing immediate life threatening symptoms from walking outside then a bit of lead dust in the walls isn't going to protect you. Then again making things underground is a lot less attractive.



profit004

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Re: The Farm
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2009, 01:43:28 PM »
Some things work better than lead as neutron absorbers... Actually lead is kinda a poor choice because it emits X-rays when struck by high energy heavy particles.

Perhaps something like this would be better:
http://sbir.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/04/sbir/phase1/SBIR-04-1-B3.09-7744.html
« Last Edit: December 28, 2009, 01:45:37 PM by profit004 »

Hyper

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Re: The Farm
« Reply #18 on: December 28, 2009, 02:50:40 PM »
I think that is heading the right direction. There have to be come caveats to make this gamable. I do want to keep the brunt of this rooted in true science. Good find there.. Radiation will be at a hub near you soon. I did read someplace that the storms on Mars blocked radiation so thats a 2 edge sword of sorts. Worth some more investigation and ponder.

Marco2001

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Re: The Farm
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2010, 10:10:37 PM »
What about electrostatic fence inside the COHAB walls?
They use a LOT of energy and can only work for a short time but they decrease the amount od positive radiation particles like protons and heavy Ions which are the main couse of the radiation-poisoning. Olso - the fence is made out of superconductor so it's not cheap (but in case of space-exploring it's a small cost).

The negative radiation beta-particles (electrons) can be decreased if habitat makes they'r own magnetic field. Such equipement is currently beying tested/developed, and might be possible to use in the futere (which in MCO takes place :)).

I'll elaborate that later  ;)

Poland here. My time: GMT + 1h
Writing a book about Mars. Any ideas? Type to me.
I'am an Astrobiology/Biology student.