Humans may only survive 68 days on Mars

Researchers at MIT are saying that people will survive on Mars for 68 days before the plants used for food and oxygen start to produce "un-safe" levels of Oxygen thus killing the colonists. As you all know, MarsOne plans to colonize Mars starting in 2024.

"The first crew fatality would occur approximately 68 days into the mission," according to the 35-page report, which analyzed mathematical formulas on oxygen, food and technology required for the project.

Plants required to feed the space colony would produce "unsafe" amounts of oxygen, the authors said.

"Some form of oxygen removal system is required, a technology that has not yet been developed for space flight," the study concluded.

Will this stop the movement toward Mars in the near future...? While the MIT researchers say that a viable Oxygen Removal System hasn't been developed yet. On the other side of the coin, Bas Lansdorp-the CEO and co-founder of MarsOne, says that the technology "IS" ready. So, we seem to be at aa bit of a crossroads for Mars colonization.....What says ATS?

news.yahoo.com...

a reply to: lostbook

I'd advise them to breathe deep. Run in place or something. Are they vegans there> Or will they be importing meat on the hoof or paw or claw? More air breathers could be a good thing. I wouldn't mind being surrounded by a mess of chickens. They crap fertilizer and eat anything.

Already posted 4 days ago:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: lostbook
"Some form of oxygen removal system is required, a technology that has not yet been developed for space flight," the study concluded.

Wrong, see here: Link
These could be used to store/release excess oxygen.

a reply to: lostbook

Thats only partially true. By venting out excess gasses, thus eliminating the problem. I'm sure they developed a system to burn off , vent off electronically or use excess gasses. Mother nature does it all the time here on earth. Forest fires.
I'm sure they figured it out already.

This isn't a problem at all. Like I said in the other thread:

Two domes... one for agriculture, the other for habitation. Vent the O2 from the agriculture dome to the habitation dome. Excessive O2 released to wherever it's needed.

To me, not a hard problem to solve.

originally posted by: trollz

originally posted by: lostbook

"Some form of oxygen removal system is required, a technology that has not yet been developed for space flight," the study concluded.

Wrong, see here: Link

These could be used to store/release excess oxygen.

There you go NASA, A.T.S figured it out for U. Use the crystals.

a reply to: lostbook

Your yahoo news link doesn't work. Here's one from the Daily Mail which is probably the same report:

Daily Mail - Link

Here's a quote from the article:

They say a separate structure could be used to grow food and also store excess oxygen, dishing out only what is need to the modules inhabited by the colonists.

The above article has a link to the MIT pdf done by the students. It's 35 pages and it goes into all the faults of architecture and logistics with the mission. The article also states that Space X's rocket the Falcon Heavy will have to make 15 trips to Mars to drop off supplies.

As I'm reading the student's PDF that main point of the research is these MIT students believe the technology currently available will mathematically not be sustainable, whereas there could be technology that could sustain the mission, the MIT students just don't know of it, i.e. the technology is a secret from Space X or is still in development. So I wouldn't jump to suicide mission yet...

MIT pdf

originally posted by: EternalSolace
This isn't a problem at all. Like I said in the other thread:



Two domes... one for agriculture, the other for habitation. Vent the O2 from the agriculture dome to the habitation dome. Excessive O2 released to wherever it's needed.



To me, not a hard problem to solve.

There you go again NASA, you should take lessons from A.T.S. Can i go to mars? I want to live there. I need a change of scenery anyways. Maybe i can catch a stray sexy alien and give me some advice. We'll hang out under the dome and drink martinies all night.

The first statement is that humans would run into trouble because of Oxygen depletion--not excess. Then they talk about too much oxygen.

Plants need a molecule of CO2 and a molecule of H2O to make some carbohydrate and a molecule of O2. If the colonists manage to use some Martian H2O and some Martian CO2, then they could actually get excess O2, but it would take a hell of a lot of plant growth. Too much O2 is not gonna be a problem. Too little will be fatal.

a reply to: Tusks

The problem was from depletion, but not because of an original lack of Oxygen. The problem they're talking about was oxygen depletion from separating nitrogen from oxygen. They're claiming it can't be done without draining all the oxygen too.

This really is a simple problem to overcome.

We went to the moon in the 60's, I am sure they have solved problems like this long ago. if computers can detect particles at a singular level, I am sure there is a computer that can easily detect and stabilize levels of oxygen for humans to survive.

OH NO, the five monkey's are a commin.

At night (or when they are in the dark), plants consume oxygen and release CO2. Humans breathe oxygen and release CO2. Combustion consumes oxygen and releases CO2. There are substances called oxygen absorbers. You can burn oxygen with hydrogen to produce water.

There are many, many ways to get rid of excess oxygen.

I think those "MIT researchers" have little idea what they're talking about, and just wanted to put out a funky article that would generate attention.

store the extra O2 in tanks for use in excursions outside the habitat, in a special suit or face mask or something. they will go crazy if they are cooped up in the habitat the whole time. they will need to go for a walk sometimes. and we can send them supplies or extra units to add onto their habitat to make it bigger and add more useful facilities. that will give them something to look forward to instead of just surviving. so they will need O2 to leave the habitat and attach the extra units or do repairs or whatever.

I could do this, im not afraid of isolation. But I would not have qualified since im a smoker and I have a bad back. Plus I would not want to leave unless I could bring plenty of cannibus seeds. The hemp would also be very useful in such a situation. I would be concerned with the sanity of the other people around me though. Just because I can handle it does not mean they can.

I wonder if they will have a way to get internet access? Maybe put up a chain of like 5 or 10 sattelites to connect with Earth? Some might be too far from either planet to orbit and would just be in interplanetary space. Would that even be considered a satellite if its not orbiting a planet? Maybe they could orbit the sun in tandem with a planet? would a chain of sattelites even help or would it be no different than just having one sattelite around mars to connect with one around earth?

If they have to release some 02 into the mars atmosphere would that help to "terraform" the planet over time if enough is released? Im sure other gases would be needed as well, but with enough colonies over time releasing all that oxygen over time, then at least the oxygen part of it would be at least partially taken care of.

Plus the humans will exhale carbon dioxide (I think thats what its called??) which I know the plants will need, but maybe there will be some excess they can release into the atmosphere for plants outside the habitat to breath eventually.

But what about the gas that is already a part of the mars atmosphere? How much gas can an atmosphere hold? Will it just grow into a bigger atmosphere that reaches a higher altitude than before? Im sure there are limits but these are questions I have. Can some gas just escape into space? Or can we build a long hose to help pump it out into space if there's too much?

random thought: I want to read some more Arthur C Clark books.

mix the excess Oxygen with hydrogen on board for a water supply

Q

originally posted by: 3n19m470
store the extra O2 in tanks

If they have to release some 02 into the mars atmosphere

That extra oxygen would be part of the air in the station, you can't just take it out selectively and put it somewhere else. Venting out into Mars atmosphere will vent out nitrogen too.

See my post above about some ways to reduce or consume oxygen from air.

people REALLY need to read the original paper @ the MIT website :

link

because to be rude - the yahoo writer is an idiot

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
people REALLY need to read the original paper @ the MIT website :

link

because to be rude - the yahoo writer is an idiot

Wow, they really botched it at Yahoo and other media sites. The paper says that the fatality within 68 days "would be a result of suffocation from too low an oxygen partial pressure within the environment" due to venting air with the excess oxygen.

I take it back, the MIT researchers do know what they're talking about, but the MSM can hardly be trusted to convey their findings.