Marspedia - User contributions [en]

Plains settlement

2011-10-10T18:10:40Z

MIm44:

==Overview==
The '''Mars Plains''' concept is a new settlement design by the [http://www.thoughtmechanics.com/ website design]™. As with the [[Hillside concept]], the ''Plains settlement'' will utilize local materials where possible.<ref>[http://www.marshome.org/about/ Mars Homestead Project]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{SettlementIndex}}

[[Category:Settlements]]

Needed Articles

2011-10-10T18:10:17Z

MIm44:

This is the global collection of lists of articles that are needed by [[Marspedia]] and shall be a guide for authors, who want to start new articles without knowing which direction to go.

If you feel there is a list missing then please create it! Try to avoid creating empty lists - and keep the [http://thoughtmechanics.com/ web design company] [http://thoughtmechanics.com/ atlanta web design companies] in mind. You can create a missing list or work on an existing list. Both this list and the listed lists are maintained manually.

Eventually, most of the links here should go from missing to existing, meaning this framework's goal will have been achieved.

Please do not hesitate to update everything and bring in your ideas.

To use this list:
* To add more types of articles, insert the names of one or more desired lists on this page. Be sure to use <nowiki>"[[" and "]]"</nowiki> to make it a link
* Click on missing list links to open an editor window to supply a missing list.
** Insert applicable article names into the new list, also with <nowiki>"[[" and "]]"</nowiki> each.
** The new list should contain the line <nowiki>{{Bootstrap}}</nowiki> at the top.

=='''A'''==
[[List of Academia]] 
[[List of Agricultural Products]] 
[[List of Agricultural Technologies]] 
[[List of Analog Station Efforts]] 
[[List of Analog Station Designs]] 
[[List of Architectural Concepts]] 
[[List of Areas of Research]] 
[[List of Areological Articles]] 
[[List of Arts and Crafts]] 

=='''B'''==
[[List of Biosphere Technologies]] 
[[List of Books]] 
[[List of Boosters]] 
[[List of Business Models]] 

=='''C'''==
[[List of Construction Materials]] 

=='''E'''==
[[List of Export Markets]] 
[[List of Exports]] 
[[List of Electrical Considerations]] 

=='''H'''==
[[List of Habitat Concepts]] 
[[List of Health and Fitness]] 
[[List of Historical Articles]] 

=='''I'''==
[[List of Import Markets]] 
[[List of Imports]] 
[[List of Industrialization Articles]] 
[[List of Infrastructure Considerations]] 
[[List of ISRU|List of In-situ Resource Utilization Methods]] 

=='''L'''==
[[List of Logistical Considerations]] 
[[List of Mars Based Sciences]] 

=='''M'''==
[[List of Major Settlement Challenges]] 
[[List of Maps]] 
[[List of Mission Designs and Options]] -- not presently existing reference missions to design 
[[List of Modules]] 

=='''O'''==
[[List of Online Resources]] 
[[List of Outpost Activities]] 
[[List of Outpost Concepts]] 

=='''P'''==
[[List of People]] 
[[List of Planned Missions]] 
[[List of Propulsion Systems]] 
[[List of Medical Risks]] 
[[List of Publications]] 

=='''R'''==
[[List of Recreation]] 
[[List of Resource Development Articles]] 
[[List of Resources]] 
[[List of Robotic Missions]] 
[[List of Robots]] 

=='''S'''==
[[List of Settlement Business Ideas]] 
[[List of Settlement Locations]] 
[[List of Shielding Options]] 
[[List of Site Management Issues]] 
[[List of Space Facilities]] 
[[List of Space Station and Module Companies]] 
[[List of Standards]] 

=='''T'''==
[[List of Terraforming Issues]] 
[[List of Time Issues]] 
[[List of Transportation Systems]] 

=='''U'''==
[[List of Unmanned Sites]] 
[[List of Urban Planning]] 

[[Category:Bootstrap lists]]

Coronal Mass Ejections

2011-10-10T18:09:58Z

MIm44:

[[Image:Cme.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (LASCO) observation of a CME.]]
'''Coronal Mass Ejections''' (CMEs) are a direct result of magnetic instabilities (i.e. [[solar flares]]) on the surface of the [[Sun]] erupting and expelling millions of tons of solar plasma into interplanetary space. CMEs are strongly influenced by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF).

==A hazard to settlers?==
On [[Earth]], we are protected from dangerous high energy particles emitted by the Sun. The Earth's magnetic field acts as an umbrella, deflecting incoming ions and electrons, channeling them to the Earth's poles. This generates magnificent displays of light in polar regions, the [[aurora|Aurora Borialis]] (over the North Pole) and Aurora Australis (over the South Pole). The light is emitted in the upper polar [[atmosphere]], in the various layers of the ionosphere. [[Mars]] does not have the luxury of a protective magnetic field, and does not experience aurorae in polar regions.

In addition, the Earth's atmosphere is over 100 times thicker than Mars'. This greatly increases the insulation of the planet from solar energetic particles, magnifying the intensity of aurorae. The Earth's atmosphere has the protective thickness equivalent to 10.3 meters of water,<ref> See discussion section. </ref> or approximately 3.4 meters of [[regolith]] (very important when considering [[hillside settlement|settlement design]]). The protective thickness of Mars' atmosphere is miniscule.

[[Settlement]] designers must therefore assume that Mars' atmosphere will not protect settlers from high energy, ionizing particles emitted from the Sun.

==Detecting damaging CME ions==
Warning Mars settlers about the onset of damaging ions is therefore a high priority. Even on Earth, predicting CMEs and dangerous ions is very important as a massive current of global scale is applied during solar storms. This effect can [[static electricity|damage delicate satellite circuits]], thermally expand the upper atmosphere (thickening the atmosphere in low Earth orbit, [[Aerobreaking|slowing down orbitals and decreasing their orbital altitudes]]) and even cause damage to power grids on the ground ([[aurora|auroral electrojets]] can have the effect of overloading country-wide electricity grids).<ref>[http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/eiskappenman.html ''Geomagnetic Storms Can Threaten Electric Power Grid'' - American Geophysical Union article.]</ref> Methods of predicting and detecting Coronal Mass Ejections are constantly being developed, but the most effective way of detecting the onset of an Earth-bound CME is to have a probe, ''in-situ'', between the Earth and Sun.<ref>[http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/25may_costep.htm The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) acting as an early warning device.]</ref>

===A contingency for Mars===
Currently, Mars has no probe or observatory in the line of sight (LOS) of the Sun, leaving an unpatrolled expanse of interplanetary space for dangerous solar ions to pass unchecked. A possible solution (akin to the Earth's SoHO<ref[http://www.thoughtmechanics.com/ atlanta web design firms]/ref> or ACE<ref[http://www.thoughtmechanics.com/ web design atlanta ga]/ref> observatories) could be to establish a simple and inexpensive ''in-situ'' solar observatory at the first Lagrangian Point<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point Lagrangian Point on Wikipedia.]</ref> (L1) in the Mars-Sun system. This is a gravitationally stable point in direct LOS with the Sun where a probe can be inserted to orbit around the Sun at the same rate as Mars. This proposed system would provide some warning for Mars settlers of the propagation of solar ions toward the Red Planet. See also: [[Early warning system (solar radiation)|Early warning system]]

===References===
<references/>

[[Category:Space Weather]]

{{SettlementIndex}}

Hillside settlement

2011-10-10T18:09:36Z

MIm44:

{{SettlementType}}
==Overview==
[[Image:Hillside concept.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rendering of the first permanent Mars Settlement.]]
The '''Hillside''' concept originates from the primary design of human settlement on the surface of Mars by the [http://thoughtmechanics.com/ web design companies in atlanta]™. Known as the Mars Homestead Project™ this concept utilizes local materials where possible and proposes [[energy]] generation by [[nuclear power]].<ref>[http://www.marshome.org/about/ Mars Homestead Project]</ref> The ''Hillside'' design maximizes protection from [[solar radiation]], insulation from the extreme low temperatures and low Martian pressure.

==Location==
On analysis of possible settlement locations, [[Candor Chasma]] (part of the vast [[Valles Marineris]] canyon system) was selelected as an excellent candidate for the Hillside concept.

==References==
<references/>

{{SettlementIndex}}

[[Category:Settlements]]

Viking 1

2011-10-10T18:09:20Z

MIm44:

{{Wikipedia}}

'''Viking 1''' was the first of two spacecraft sent to [[Mars]] as part of [[NASA]]'s [[:category:Viking Program|Viking Program]].

== Mission ==
Following launch using a [http://www.thoughtmechanics.com/ web design atlanta ga]/[http://www.thoughtmechanics.com/ web design company] launch vehicle on 20 August 1975 and a 10 month cruise to Mars, the orbiter began returning global images of Mars about 5 days before orbit insertion. The Viking 1 Orbiter was inserted into Mars orbit on 19 June 1976 and trimmed to a 1513 x 33,000 km, 24.66 h site certification orbit on 21 June. Landing on Mars was planned for July 4, 1976, the United States Bicentennial, but imaging of the primary landing site showed it was too rough for a safe landing. The landing was delayed until a safer site was found. The lander separated from the orbiter on 20 July 08:51 UT and landed at 11:56:06 UT.

===Orbiter===
The [[exd:orbiter|orbiterexd]] primary mission ended at the beginning of [[solar conjunction]] on 5 November, 1976. The extended mission commenced on 14 December, 1976 after solar conjunction. Operations included close approaches to [[Phobos]] in February 1977. The [[Periapsis]] was reduced to 300 km on 11 March, 1977. Minor orbit adjustments were done occasionally over the course of the mission, primarily to change the walk rate (the rate at which the planetocentric longitude changed with each orbit, and the periapsis was raised to 357 km on 20 July, 1979.) On 7 August, 1980 Viking 1 Orbiter was running low on altitude control gas and its orbit was raised from 357 × 33943 km to 320 × 56000 km to prevent impact with Mars and possible contamination until the year 2019. Operations were terminated on August 17, 1980 after 1485 orbits.

===Lander===
The lander and its aeroshell separated from the orbiter on July 20 08:51 UT. At the time of separation, the lander was orbiting at about 4 km/s. After separation rockets fired to begin lander deorbit. After a few hours at about 300 km altitude, the lander was reoriented for entry. The aeroshell with its ablatable [[heat shield]] [[aerobreaking|slowed the craft]] as it plunged through the [[atmosphere]]. During this time, entry science experiments were performed. At 6 km altitude at about 250 m/s the 16 m diameter lander parachutes were deployed. Seven seconds later the aeroshell was jettisoned, and 8 seconds after that the three lander legs were extended. In 45 seconds the parachute had slowed the lander to 60 m/s. At 1.5 km altitude, retro-rockets were ignited and fired until landing 40 seconds later at about 2.4 m/s. The landing rockets used an 18 nozzle design to spread the hydrogen and nitrogen exhaust over a wide area. It was determined that this would limit surface heating to no more than 1 degree Celsius and that no more than 1 mm of the surface material would be stripped away.

The Viking 1 Lander touched down in western [[Chryse Planitia]] (named Gold Field) at 22.697° N latitude and 48.222° W longitude at a reference altitude of -2.69 km relative to a reference ellipsoid with an equatorial radius of 3397.2 km and a flatness of 0.0105 (22.480° N, 47.967° W planetographic) at 11:53:06 UT (16:13 local Mars time). Approximately 22 kg of propellants were left at landing.

Transmission of the first surface image began 25 seconds after landing. The seismometer failed to uncage, and a sampler arm locking pin was stuck and took 5 days to shake out. Otherwise, all experiments functioned nominally. The Viking 1 Lander was named the [[Thomas Mutch Memorial Station]] in January 1982 in honor of the leader of the Viking imaging team.

The lander operated for 2245 [[sol]]s, until 13 November 1982, when a faulty command sent by ground control resulted in loss of contact.<ref>[http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/lofiversion/index.php/t3217.html Discussion on Viking sols.]</ref> The command was intended to uplink new battery charging software to improve the lander's deteriorating battery capacity, but it inadvertently overwrote data used by the antenna pointing software. Attempts to contact the lander during the next four months, based on the presumed antenna position, were unsuccessful.<ref>[http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~mars/LFEM/lfemstep/lfemstep_slides/viking_documents/Pdf/JPL_Publication_82-107.pdf D. J. Mudgway, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1983, "Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Systems Support for the Viking 1975 Mission to Mars"]</ref>

In 2006 the Viking 1 lander was imaged on the Martian surface by the [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]].

== Test of General Relativity ==
[[General Relativity]] predicts "Gravitational Time Dilation". Scientists used the lander to observe such phenomena. Scientists sent radio signals to the lander on Mars, and instructed the lander to send back signals. Scientists then found that the time signals needed to make a round trip match the prediction of Gravitational Time Dilation.

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Viking Program]]