Martian sand can be used to build in space, Dublin scientists findwww.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25evle0zeo
707 sats \ 13 comments \ @StillStackinAfterAllTheseYears 6 Oct science
This is one of those things that so many SF stories simply ignore, but is so fundamental right behind terraforming) to allowing space colonization. This was really cool news to come across.
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31 sats \ 7 replies \ @south_korea_ln 6 Oct
The blocks, built with carbon nanotubes, have a relatively low density but display strength approaching that of granite and could create extra terrestrial structures.
Does this imply carbon nanotubes occur naturally on Mars? Not sure what to understand from this article...
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20 sats \ 4 replies \ @StillStackinAfterAllTheseYears OP 6 Oct
Carbon nanotubes in general (to my admittedly non-physicist knowledge) are synthesized, but creating/storing/transporting them is much more efficient than transporting full building materials.
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0 sats \ 3 replies \ @chaoticalHeavy 6 Oct
creating/storing/transporting them is much more efficient than transporting full building materials.
Right, it's really small and low density. Maybe it could be synthesized on Mars since there's lots of carbon dioxide.
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20 sats \ 2 replies \ @south_korea_ln 6 Oct
One approach I would imagine then would be to first transform the CO$_2$ into CO or methane CH$_4$ before using CVD to form carbon nanotubes...
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @chaoticalHeavy 7 Oct
Looks like they will be making methane on Mars anyway before building anything permanent.
SpaceX_Mars_colonization_program
Methane was chosen for the Raptor engines because it is relatively inexpensive, produces a low amount of soot as compared to other hydrocarbons,[28] and can be created on Mars from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and hydrogen via the Sabatier reaction.[29]
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @chaoticalHeavy 6 Oct
methane
That was my thought too, after reading about the manufacturing process.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DawnoftheDead 6 Oct
The atmosphere in mars could create unique materials, sort of like how when you put clay in the oven it hardens.
But people also say the moon is rich in Helium3 because of its atmosphere or lack there of,
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @didiplaywell 6 Oct
Same
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21 sats \ 2 replies \ @Akg10s33 6 Oct
What a peculiar piece of information! Although it seems to me that humanity is still a long way off from being able to colonize or inhabit Mars, for those who study and like space, this is good news!
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @StillStackinAfterAllTheseYears OP 6 Oct
Oh yeah, I posted an article a few weeks ago about all the reasons a Martian settlement is unlikely, and it still stands. But I still want to see it somehow happen.
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Akg10s33 6 Oct
It is also valid👍 Here in South America there is a saying that goes "Hope is the last thing to be lost"... So something else can happen on the Red Planet!
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @0xbitcoiner 6 Oct
Awesome! We can go to Mars without a second thought 😂
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 6 Oct
Very cool.
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