Mars, in earth's image
Abstract
An ambitious plan for colonizing and settling the Red Planet without the need for space suits, rebreathers, or cities under bubbles is discussed. The major goal of this plan is to set up camp on the fourth planet from the sun and then transforming it into a precise duplicate of the third. The plan suggests that an unmanned robot could release enough chlorofluorocarbons into the Martian atmosphere to push the temperature above freezing. As temperatures rose, lakes, ponds, and even oceans might appear. Microorganisms could be released into the soil to free up nitrogen, which is a vital element for sustaining plants. Earthly plants, extraordinarily inefficient oxygen producers, could be genetically engineered to contribute more oxygen to the atmosphere.
- Publication:
-
Discover
- Pub Date:
- September 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992Disc...13...70K
- Keywords:
-
- Mars;
- Terraforming;
- Technical Aspects;
- Procedure;
- Space;
- Colonization;
- Chronology;
- Environment;
- Popular;
- Physical Properties;
- Atmosphere;
- Temperature;
- Greenhouse Effect;
- Chlorofluorocarbons;
- Gases;
- Timescale;
- Carbon Dioxide;
- Water Vapor;
- Soil;
- Oxygen;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Mars