Marspedia - User contributions [en]

Equipment for autonomous growth

2007-11-25T20:17:49Z

PeterBrett: /* Open Issues */

What equipment will settlers on [[Mars]] need to be really independent from [[Earth]] on the long term? This article wants to define the '''Equipment for Autonomous Growth''' to enable a [[colony]] to thrive, entirely based upon local resources.

==Mining equipment==
The most critical technology is [[mining]]. It provides almost every [[:category:material|material]] the growing colony needs: [[water]], [[iron]], [[silicon]], etc.

==Construction technique==
A growing colony needs to build more and larger [[building]]s. An initial set of machines, measuring devices, formwork etc. should be brought to Mars.

==Energy==
See page [[Energy]].

==Computers==
This item might be disputed, but [[computer]]s are surely a great help for any other technology.

==Internet==
The access to Earth's [[internet]] is definity not necessary for an autonomous colony, but it helps to exchange technological, scientific and cultural news, which might be beneficial for both Mars and Earth.

==Biotechnology==
Since [[sunlight]] is not as bright as on Earth the construction of [[biotechnology|biotechnological factories]] can help to provide enough [[food]] for the settlers.

==Synthetic materials==
Almost any technology requires a whole lot of [[synthetic materials]]: plastics, oil, acids, etc., that is produced by [[:Category:Chemistry|chemical processes]].

==Reproductive Technology==
Every machine and every gadget has a limited livetime. It must be replaced periodically to keep the function alive. As a principle, the equipment brought to Mars must be constructed simple enough to allow a repair and duplication from local resources. The periodic repair and maintenance process must not consume more material, energy and time than the colony can afford. [[Recycling]] is supposed to save a lot.

===Example: Repair of digging machines===
[[Digging machine]]s produce [[ore]]. The [[furnace]] transforms ore to iron. A [[steel plant]] makes [[steel]] out of the iron. And the steel must be forged to parts for digging machines. The circle is closed.

===Example: Repair of solar panels===
[[Solar panel]]s provide [[electricity]], which will be used to create more silicon for photo-voltaic cells.

===Example: Repair of electronics===
The most complex thing to replace is, perhaps, the computer. It needs high-tech processes and special substances to made all the electronical devices within a computer. There are two ways for coping with this challenge: Either abstain from any [[electronics]] on Mars, or find a way to produce simple electronics that can be made from local Martian resources.

==Open Issues==
{{technology_question|Would it be possible to abstain from any electronics on Mars? - [[User:Rfc|Rfc]]}}
*Is it possible to abstain from any electronics on Mars? This is an essential question as it may decide about the technological long term stability of a Martian colony.

:*I'm not even sure what the question means, can you please elaborate? [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 20:17, 25 November 2007 (UTC)

==See also==
*[[Foundation of an Autonomous Colony]]
*[[mineral resources]]

[[Category: Technology]]
[[Category: Concepts]]

Template talk:Element

2007-11-24T21:29:41Z

PeterBrett:

Do we think that this template will be of any use? -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 20:11, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

:Yes, although I'd like to get rid of the "number of neutrons" thing (which isn't a constant in anyway whatsoever) and add some fields like those on the Wikipedia element template (such as relative atomic mass and electronegativity). [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 21:29, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

Template:Element

2007-11-24T09:41:41Z

PeterBrett: Add some space around box

<div style="float:{{{float|right}}};margin:5px;border:2px #000000 solid;padding:0;width:66px;height:66px;text-align:center">
{|style="background-color:transparent;margin:0 auto 0 auto;"
|-
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:right;margin:0;padding:0;"|<big style="font-size:25px">'''{{{elementSymbol}}}'''</big>
|style="margin:0;padding:0;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"|'''{{{protons}}}'''
|-
|style="margin:0;padding:0;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"|'''{{{neutrons}}}'''
|-
|colspan="2" style="margin:0;padding:0;font-size:8pt;vertical-align:top"|'''[[{{{elementName}}}]]'''
|}
</div><noinclude>
'''Currently testing a template for elements in [[:category:Chemistry]]. This will be expanded for chemical formulae in time.'''

===Usage:===
If you have an element you would like to be represented by this periodic table symbol, you require the element symbol (<nowiki>{{{elementSymbol}}}</nowiki>), element name (<nowiki>{{{elementName}}}</nowiki>), no. of protons in the nuclei (<nowiki>{{{protons}}}</nowiki>) and no. of neutrons (<nowiki>{{{neutrons}}}</nowiki>). ''Optional:'' use the "float" command (<nowiki>{{{float}}}</nowiki>) to define either "left" or "right" side of article text.

===Example:===
For the element of Oxygen:

<nowiki>{{</nowiki>element 
|float 
|elementName=Oxygen 
|elementSymbol=O 
|protons=8 
|neutrons=8 
}}

This yields:
{{element
|float=left
|elementName=Oxygen
|elementSymbol=O
|protons=8
|neutrons=8
}}
[[category:templates]]</noinclude>

Electrolysis

2007-11-23T18:18:23Z

PeterBrett: Uses electric current

'''Electrolysis''' is the process of separating a chemical compound by passing an electrical current through it, either molten or in solution.

By applying a voltage across two electrodes immersed in the liquid, an electric field is set up, causing separation of ions in order to maintain electrical equilibrium. For instance, [[water]] can be separated into [[hydrogen]] from [[oxygen]], with the negatively charged hydroxide ions OH- drawn to the positive electrode and the positively charged hydronium ions H3O+ drawn to the negative electrode. When arriving at the electrodes the ions are discharged and become gaseous oxygen and hydrogen respectively. The net effect of of the migration of ions is identical to the flow of an electric current through the liquid.

Electrolysis is a common industrial process, used in the production of:

* [[Aluminium]]
* [[Sodium]]
* [[Chlorine]]

There are a number of other industrial processes which are based on the same principles.

==Technological usage==
Water is considered a natural resource on [[Mars]]. Electrolysis can be used to produce oxygen as part of air in artificial [[habitat]]s. The produced hydrogen on the other hand can be used for [[hydrocarbon synthesis]], yielding [[synthetic materials]] for [[space suit]]s etc.

==External Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis Wikipedia article on electrolysis]

[[Category: Technology]]
[[Category: Chemistry]]

Silicon

2007-11-21T22:34:02Z

PeterBrett:

'''Silicon''' (''periodic table symbol:'' Si14) is a chemical element that can be found in several [[mineral]]s on [[Mars]].

==Usage==
Silicon is the main material for monocrystalline solar cells, used for [[solar panel]]s. Additionally, it is needed for [[silicone synthesis]] to produce [[synthetic materials]].

==Open issues==
* Silicon is the most abundant chemical element of Earth's crust. Is this true for Mars, also?
* How much energy is needed to produce 1 kg of pure silicon? ''How pure? [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 22:34, 21 November 2007 (UTC)''

[[category:geology]]
[[category:material]]
[[category:recyclable material]]

{{stub}}

Oxygen

2007-11-21T22:31:51Z

PeterBrett:

'''Oxygen''' (''periodic table symbol:'' O8) is a chemical element that can be found in the [[atmosphere]] and in several [[mineral]]s on [[Mars]].

==Biological significance==
The metabolism of [[human|human beings]], [[:category:animals|animals]] and various [[microbe]]s depends on oxygen. The atmosphere of Mars contains only 0.2 % oxygen, which is not enough for living.

==Production==
Oxygen can be produced
* in [[greenhouse]]s by plants.
* by reduction of [[carbon dioxide]] from the martian atmosphere
* by reduction of oxide minerals
* by [[electrolysis]] of [[water]]

[[Category: Biospherics]]
[[Category: Greenhouse]]
[[Category: Chemistry]]

User talk:PeterBrett

2007-11-21T20:40:34Z

PeterBrett:

'''If you need to leave a message for me you can do so here by editing this page. Please don't forget to sign your message with '~~~~''''

==Marspedia duplication==
Hey Peter, not sure if you're watching my talk page, but there's been two responses to your question about Marspedia duplication... [http://www.marspedia.org/index.php?title=User_talk:Ioneill My Talk] Cheers --[[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 04:20, 19 November 2007 (UTC)

==Site development==
Hi, I'm just messaging the active contributers to Marspedia to get their views on the redesign of the front page. I've tried to highlight the important links and made the page more accessible to newcomers. Also I've created a Wikipedia-style "featured articles" section. I'd be really interested to hear your views on this. It's going to take a lot more work, but this is a good start. Primarily I want to extract the important info and cut down on the excessive text that may cause confusion (as suggested by a couple of you). However, I haven't removed anything as yet, simply jigged it around a bit. I'll look forward to getting your input :-) -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 08:51, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Hey Peter, is the "featured articles" section on Marspedia similar to how you envisioned it? Any suggestions gratefully received :-) -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 08:58, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

:Looks pretty good :) I'd still like to see the "Differences from Wikipedia" bit moved to its own page, with an ''obvious'' link from the front page. Other than that, it's great! Hope the other sister sites pick it up! [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 13:48, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

::Hey thanks :-) I'm trying to pick up the best bits of the Wikipedia design whilst maintaining individuality, think it's working so far. I also agree about some of the content on the front page. Next, I want to create a Marspedia:About page - we don't have one yet, so this would be a good place to put the "Differences from Wikipedia". This will be happening soon ;-) I've already been warned that the sister sites might be "plagiarizing" our redesign, so we'll have to make sure we are ahead of the game! Cheers :-D -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 20:21, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Colony

2007-11-21T15:22:19Z

PeterBrett: Redirecting to Settlement

#REDIRECT [[Settlement]]

Solar panel

2007-11-21T13:55:10Z

PeterBrett:

[[Image:Beagle2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An artists impression of the ill-fated [[Beagle 2]] lander. The prominent '''solar panels''' are deployed.]]

'''Solar Panels''' generate electric [[energy]] out of [[sunlight]]. Usually they are constructed from a semi-conductor such as [[silicon]]. Solar panels are frequently used in space primarily for [[:category:orbiters (Terrestrial)|satellites and space stations in Earth orbit]] and is the prime source of energy for [[Mars]] [[:category:orbiters|satellites]], [[:category:landers|landers]] and [[:category:rovers|rovers]]. Solar panels begin to lose usefulness for deep space and outer solar system missions (i.e. the [[Cassini]] mission to Jupiter or the [[Voyager]] program) where [[radioisotope thermoelectric generator]]s are the favoured (if controversial) means to generate electricity.

[[Image:Iss.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[International Space Station]] in Earth orbit. The huge solar arrays provide the station's electrical power.]]

On [[Mars]] the sunlight is bright enough to use solar panels. The famous rovers [[Spirit]] and [[Opportunity]] have them. The experiences are terrific: Since July 2003 they are working fine, and the Martian [[wind]]s have kept the surfaces clear of dust. However, the rovers cannot operate at full capacity during the Martian winter when the intensity of the sunlight is reduced, and dust storms have from time to time caused severe reductions in the available power, requiring the rovers to go into a low-power "hibernation" mode.

A major drawback to using solar power is the requirement for some form of [[energy storage]] to keep power available during the Martian night.

[[category:technology]]

Methane

2007-11-21T13:52:19Z

PeterBrett: Add to chemistry category

'''Methane''' is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single [[carbon]] atom bonded to four [[hydrogen]] atoms in a tetrahedral configuration. It is volatile, and tends to break down quite quickly by being oxidized, so presence of atmospheric methane is often considered to be an indication of the presence of life. However, methane can also be produced be non-biological processes such as volcanic activity. Methane is also an efficient [[greenhouse effect|greenhouse gas]], contributes to [[global warming]] and may be a useful gas for the process of [[terraforming]].

In 2004, the [[Mars Express]] mission detected methane in the Martian atmosphere at a level of approx. 10 parts per billion. This was later confirmed by Earth-based spectroscopy.

Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it may be possible to produce it in situ using locally-available raw materials. This would make it an ideal fuel for rovers and rocket engines.

==Synthesis of methane==

Production of methane on the surface of Mars would likely be via the '''Sabatier reaction''':

:CO2 + 4H2   ↔   CH4 + 2H2O

The forward reaction takes place in the presence of high temperatures and pressures, in the presence of a [[nickel]] catalyst. All of the raw materials should be available on the surface of Mars:

* The [[atmosphere]] contains a high proportion of [[carbon dioxide]].
* [[Hydrogen]] could be obtained by [[electrolysis]] of indigenous [[water]] (although some schemes call for the hydrogen to be imported).

This process could also be used during a trip to or from Mars to scrub CO2 from a spacecraft atmosphere.

Instead of nickel, a catalyst made out of [[ruthenium]] on [[alumina]] could be used.

==Uses for methane==

Methane works well as a rocket fuel, and a number of LOX/methane fueled rockets are under development, including the [[XCOR|XCOR XR5M15]] and [[TR408 Rocket|Northrop Grumman TR408]].

Methane [[fuel cells]] have recently been demonstrated, and these would work well for powering rovers, semi-portable equipment or as backup generators.

[[Carbon]] in the form of pyrolytic [[graphite]] could be recovered from methane by pyrolyzing it:

:CH4 + heat   →   2H2 + C

The graphite so formed could be used for ablative surfaces, reinforcement of [[polymer]] materials, furnace linings or control elements in [[nuclear reactor]]s.

==External Links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane Wikipedia article on Methane]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction Wikipedia article on the Sabatier reaction]
*[http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMZ0B57ESD_0.html ESA press release on detection of methane by Mars Express]

[[Category:Biospherics]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]

Water

2007-11-21T13:51:28Z

PeterBrett: add to chemistry category

'''Water''' is a chemical compound consisting of a single [[oxygen]] atom bonded to two [[hydrogen]] atoms. Clean water is essential almost all known forms of life, and its unique properties make it invaluable for most industrial processes. Although water in the liquid phase is abundant on Earth, its scarcity on Mars make it into a critical resource to be treasured.

==Evidence for water on Mars==

Starting in 2004, the evidence of the presence of water on Mars has been mounting. The [[Opportunity]] rover discovered geological markers - stratification & cross-bedding - near its landing site which pointed to significant flows of water at some time in Mars' history, and around the same time the [[Mars Express]] orbiter detected the spectral evidence of water present in the polar regions. In 2005, Mars Express confirmed this by locating an area of solid water ice near the north pole.

==Industrial processes==

Many industrial processes considered for a Mars settlement, in particular the production of [[methanol]] and [[methane]], require hydrogen gas. This can be obtained by [[electrolysis]], with oxygen gas as a byproduct.

Most other processes require the use of significant quantities of water as a [[solvent]] for reagents such as [[acid]]s or [[ammonia]].

==External Links==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water Wikipedia page on water]

{{stub}}
[[category:Climate]]
[[category:Chemistry]]

User talk:PeterBrett

2007-11-21T13:48:41Z

PeterBrett: /* Site development */

'''If you need to leave a message for me you can do so here by editing this page. Please don't forget to sign your message with '~~~~''''

==Marspedia duplication==
Hey Peter, not sure if you're watching my talk page, but there's been two responses to your question about Marspedia duplication... [http://www.marspedia.org/index.php?title=User_talk:Ioneill My Talk] Cheers --[[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 04:20, 19 November 2007 (UTC)

===Site development===
Hi, I'm just messaging the active contributers to Marspedia to get their views on the redesign of the front page. I've tried to highlight the important links and made the page more accessible to newcomers. Also I've created a Wikipedia-style "featured articles" section. I'd be really interested to hear your views on this. It's going to take a lot more work, but this is a good start. Primarily I want to extract the important info and cut down on the excessive text that may cause confusion (as suggested by a couple of you). However, I haven't removed anything as yet, simply jigged it around a bit. I'll look forward to getting your input :-) -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 08:51, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Hey Peter, is the "featured articles" section on Marspedia similar to how you envisioned it? Any suggestions gratefully received :-) -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 08:58, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

:Looks pretty good :) I'd still like to see the "Differences from Wikipedia" bit moved to its own page, with an ''obvious'' link from the front page. Other than that, it's great! Hope the other sister sites pick it up! [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 13:48, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Methane

2007-11-18T18:52:07Z

PeterBrett: Synthesis & uses

'''Methane''' is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single [[carbon]] atom bonded to four [[hydrogen]] atoms in a tetrahedral configuration. It is volatile, and tends to break down quite quickly by being oxidized, so presence of atmospheric methane is often considered to be an indication of the presence of life. However, methane can also be produced be non-biological processes such as volcanic activity.

In 2004, the [[Mars Express]] mission detected methane in the Martian atmosphere at a level of approx. 10 parts per billion. This was later confirmed by Earth-based spectroscopy.

Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it may be possible to produce it in situ using locally-available raw materials. This would make it an ideal fuel for rovers and rocket engines.

==Synthesis of methane==

Production of methane on the surface of Mars would likely be via the '''Sabatier reaction''':

:CO2 + 4H2   ↔   CH4 + 2H2O

The forward reaction takes place in the presence of high temperatures and pressures, in the presence of a [[nickel]] catalyst. All of the raw materials should be available on the surface of Mars:

* The [[atmosphere]] contains a high proportion of [[carbon dioxide]].
* [[Hydrogen]] could be obtained by [[electrolysis]] of indigenous [[water]] (although some schemes call for the hydrogen to be imported).

This process could also be used during a trip to or from Mars to scrub CO2 from a spacecraft atmosphere.

Instead of nickel, a catalyst made out of [[ruthenium]] on [[alumina]] could be used.

==Uses for methane==

Methane works well as a rocket fuel, and a number of LOX/methane fueled rockets are under development, including the [[XCOR|XCOR XR5M15]] and [[TR408 Rocket|Northrop Grumman TR408]].

Methane [[fuel cells]] have recently been demonstrated, and these would work well for powering rovers, semi-portable equipment or as backup generators.

[[Carbon]] in the form of pyrolytic [[graphite]] could be recovered from methane by pyrolyzing it:

:CH4 + heat &nbsp → &nbsp 2H2 + C

The graphite so formed could be used for ablative surfaces, reinforcement of [[polymer]] materials, furnace linings or control elements in [[nuclear reactor]]s.

==External Links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane Wikipedia article on Methane]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction Wikipedia article on the Sabatier reaction]
*[http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMZ0B57ESD_0.html ESA press release on detection of methane by Mars Express]

[[Category:Biospherics]]

User talk:Ioneill

2007-11-18T17:02:09Z

PeterBrett: Minimizing duplication of effort

Hi Ian, it's good to actually see content starting to appear.
 
I'm unaware of how much you already know about MediaWiki the Marspedia software, so please bear with me if you already know some of the following.
 
There are a few templates you should look at, you can see two of them on my Marspedia [[User:Mdelaney|User]] and [[User_talk:Mdelaney|User_talk]] pages for instance. I also added two User-boxes to your User-page. You can call those with <nowiki>{{User Marsp Sysop}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{User Marsp Server Admin}}</nowiki>
 
Those would called using: 
<nowiki>{{Go to exodictionary user}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{Go to exodictionary user talk}}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Go to lunarpedia user}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{Go to lunarpedia user talk}}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Go to marspedia user}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{Go to marspedia user talk}}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Go to scientifiction user}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{Go to scientifiction user talk}}</nowiki>
 
I also made that Create Category button into a template, that can now be called with <nowiki>{{CreateCat}}</nowiki>, this should simplify some tasks.
 
If you don't like the names of the templates you can move them, this also creates a redirect to the new name from the old name for backwards compatibility. Just don't delete the original names, and please don't delete the "Go to" templates, we have a few people who want to be active on both sites, but only maintain one user page. They only work if the user has the same name in both wikis by the way. I'm still in the process of importing some of the templates to the other wikis, but please feel free to register on the others and use the templates to help you maintain just one user page.
 
You can create hanging indents with colons (:)
:You can sign your comments using <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>, this inserts your user sig along with a time and date stamp in UTC. If you really want to do it manually you can do so, using <nowiki>-- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] hh:mm, dd Month yyyy (PST)</nowiki>, but we don't recommend that as it leads to confusion, as I found out when I started using (BST) and confused a bunch of people. Another variation is to sign it without the time and date stamp with <nowiki>~~~</nowiki>.

If the lines of text are short and wont run off the page, you can put
them in a box by leaving a leading space at the start of the line.

Most other stuff is on the edit bar, the S is a spell checker, I hope to add more to that edit bar in the coming weeks as people tell me what they need.
-- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 03:04, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

== Sidebar - Navigation section ==

Just wondering which of these you find least useful: 
* Category Tree 
* Category List A-Z 
* Index 
Personally I don't use the second one all that much, but I have found it useful on occasion. Both the second and third ones are available via "Special pages".

I'm just trying to shorten the menu a little, unlike on Lunarpedia where I'll deliver a devastating blow to the menu in the near future. That one has 29 items in it. -- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 22:02, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

I agree, the Category List A-Z is least useful - for now I am always using the Category Tree. I think the Index will come into more use once more pages appear as we'll need a quick way of over viewing the whole of the wiki. I'm also keen to make the menu system as simple as possible, so anything that seems superfluous I think we can dispense with. Thanks for all the pointers above, they will come in useful for anyone needing a poke in the right direction -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 22:36, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

== User and User_talk pages on other wikis ==

Ian, I suggest you protect your User and User_talk pages on the other wikis, otherwise wombles '''will''' edit them and leave messages there. The User pages are protected from anonymous editing (they can only be edited by the user or someone with sysop or higher permission) but not the User_talk pages. -- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 00:37, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

Thanks Mike, I will protect them - forgot about looking into that :-) We will triumph over the wombles! Cheers -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 00:40, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

Emm, I meant the other way. Protect the User_talk pages on Lunarpedia and Exodictionary and leave the User_talk page on Marspedia unprotected. But protect all User pages of the non-talk variety. Unless you want to be completely unreachable to non sysops. -- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 02:19, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

== Mediawiki Imports ==

::If you haven't already read [[Marspedia:Wikipedia_Import]] you should. It does make life easier. But....

::Wikipedia is a dependency nightmare!

::I tried to import a template to Lunarpedia earlier, it only had 2 dependencies. Or so I thought. But one of those dependencies had 17 dependencies, each of which had 4-7 dependencies. Admittedly there was some overlap, but I still would have had to import about 20 templates just to get '''one''' to work.

::Don't let the Wikipedia mess suck you in. -- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 21:52, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Hey Mike, yes, I noticed that dependency - when I was adapting the "Leave me a message" box, even tat was linked to 3 templates! I squished them all into one when I put it on Marspedia, but if there's a call for small box templates I'll include the dependencies. Everything is looking superb by the way. I'm hoping to have a flurry of new content in the next few days. Everything going to plan people will take our lead soon and begin submitting in droves... -- [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 18:17, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

::They're taking their time. But it took Lunarpedia a couple of weeks to kick off. Maybe when the easter breaks are all over, if they're not already. -- [[User:Mdelaney|Mdelaney]] 20:00, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

==Attacks==
'''Lunarpedia''' and '''Marspedia''': IP addresses are temporary. That said, I'm looking to see if there may be value in increasing the time from 1 week to 1 month, if some of these are lasting long enough for a longer ban period to make sense (don't want collateral damage when someone else gets this IP and wants to constructively contribute at some point in the future, completely unaware that their IP at that moment was previously used for destructive activities when someone else had it; 216.23.162.164 was still a zombie IP in a previous attack, so let me note to ban that one for longer). This specific, malicious attacker is using a small botnet. The trick is to keep the IPs of its zombies banned. I have a script I created for banning the IPs. Let me see if I can get it up so that others can try using it. It requires Python to run and creates a local html file. -- [[User:Strangelv|Strangelv]] 23:07, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

::Script up at [http://www.lunarpedia.org/index.php?title=Lunarpedia:BWABOM_LMEES]. now using it...-- [[User:Strangelv|Strangelv]] 23:42, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

'''Exodictionary''', '''Exoplatz''', and '''Scientifiction.org''': The neverending deluge of Chinese SPAM is beyond my ability to control. CAPTCHAs are effective against this attacker, but Mike has not been able to find time to apply it and the machine with the passwords I need to do something drastic is not yet back up and running. I'm thinking of preventing new account creation or even redirecting the domains to Lunarpedia until CAPTCHAs can be installed. 8\ -- [[User:Strangelv|Strangelv]] 23:07, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

== Contents from Wikipedia? ==

Hi Ian, should we copy information about Mars from Wikipedia on the large scale? Even whole articles? To me it seems it makes not much sense to have any information twice, but on the other hand we do not know when valuable information in Wikipedia vanishes. May be we should move the information instead of copying from Wikipedia to Marspedia, leaving only a small and compact Mars article in Wikipedia, along with a link to Marspedia. I think, this would encourage some Wikipedia writers to put marsian information into this project. I am unsure about the relation of the two projects. Reading [[Marspedia:Wikipedia_Import]] does not really answer my question. Best Regards [[User:Rfc|Rfc]] 06:28, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

:Hi Rfc, just so you know, Wikipedia and Marspedia are two independent projects, we have no affiliation with Wikipedia. The only wikis we administer are Lunarpedia, Exoplatz, ExoDictionary and Scientifiction. Therefore, we can copy information from Wikipedia, but we certainly cannot remove any in preference for a link to Marspedia.

:We are actually looking into the Mars article situation, there are some advantages to exporting the "Mars" page on Wikipdia to Marspedia, but we then risk Marspedia becoming a "copy" of Wikipedia. If we do copy any articles from Wikipedia, we MUST use the <nowiki>{{wikipedia}}</nowiki> template, as used here: http://www.marspedia.org/index.php?title=GFDL:Eccentricity and be sure we abide by the [http://www.marspedia.org/index.php?title=Marspedia:Wikipedia_Import GFDL Licencing]. As you can see from the [[:Category:Wikipedia Based Articles|Wikipedia articles listed in Marspedia]], individuality is lost somewhat. So, generally, yes, we can import (or copy and paste) public sources (aka Wikipedia), but we have to be very careful not to violate any licencing laws and be sure to reference ALL external meterial.

:Marspedia is hopefully going to be a huge and comprehensive encyclopedia of Mars eventually, so any articles on Wikipedia will be dwarfed in time. I see what you mean about duplicating articles, but in the aim of being unique on the web, we should strive to produce as much "original" work as possible. I hope that was of some help. Cheers, [[User:Ioneill|Ioneill]] 00:56, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

Hi Ian, yes this answers my question, and I agree with it. Too, I would not feel very comfortable with many <nowiki>{{wikipedia}}</nowiki> templates. So, let's write our own articles, and make it to Mars, eventually. I am happy with the Marspedia idea this way. Thanks and Cheers! [[User:Rfc|Rfc]] 08:35, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

== Minimizing duplication of effort ==

We seem to be accumulating a lot of pages about launch vehicles, but I'm slightly worried about duplication of effort with Exoplatz, Lunarpedia etc. Wouldn't it make sense to have detailed info on launch vehicles and providers on Exoplatz, and maybe have a single page Marspedia listing launch vehicles that would be useful for Mars missions? (I guess the same goes for rocket engines too). [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 17:02, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

User talk:PeterBrett

2007-11-18T16:56:04Z

PeterBrett: New page: '''If you need to leave a message for me you can do so here by editing this page. Please don't forget to sign your message with '~~~~''''

'''If you need to leave a message for me you can do so here by editing this page. Please don't forget to sign your message with '~~~~''''

ExoMars

2007-11-18T15:52:44Z

PeterBrett: add some wikilinks & extra info

'''ExoMars''' is part of the [[ESA]]'s [[Aurora Flagship]] sequence of exploratory missions. The mission will deploy a [[rover]] to the surface of Mars to carry out a number of scientific experiments around its landing site. Some mission profiles may include an orbiter to carry out data relay between the rover and mission control on Earth.

The current specification calls for the rover to be [[solar panel|solar-powered]] and to carry a 40 kg scientific payload with an emphasis on [[exobiology]] research.

At the moment, the mission is scheduled for a 2013 launch and 2014 landing.

== External Links ==

* [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/SEM1NVZKQAD_0.html ExoMars web page]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exomars ExomMars Wikipedia page]

[[category:ExoMars Program]]

Water

2007-11-18T13:13:00Z

PeterBrett: Add some content

Mars Express

2007-11-18T12:50:33Z

PeterBrett: Info on important discoveries

[[Image:Mars Express X orbit 2a-new.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Artists impression of the Mars Express orbiter]]

'''Mars Express''' was launched on June 2, 2003 from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] (Kazakhstan) on a [[Soyuz-Fregat rocket]] to search for water and the possibility of Martian life. Consisting of a low-cost orbiter and lander, ''Mars Express'' is a [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) mission to the Red Planet involving a consortium of countries (primarily France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Spain, and the United States). In February 2007, ''Mars Express'' was granted a second mission extension until May 2009.

==Mission Overview==
[[Image:Mars express logo.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Official [[ESA]] Mars Express mission logo.]]
''Mars Express'' was a two-component mission consisting of the ''Mars Express Orbiter'' and [[Beagle 2]] lander. Unfortunately, the ''Beagle 2'' lander failed on entry into the Martian atmosphere and was lost on Christmas Day, 2003. The crash site of ''Beagle 2'' was later imaged by [[NASA]]'s [[Mars Global Surveyor]] in a crater near the planned landing site of the equatorial region known as [[Isidis Planitia]]. Despite this early loss, the ''Mars Express orbiter'' continues on its mission to explore the Martian surface.

Mars Express will be providing support for the [[NASA]] [[Phoenix]] lander when it arrives on Mars in mid-2008.

===Instrumentation===
The ''Mars Express'' mission is now dedicated to the orbital study of the interior,
subsurface, surface, atmosphere, and environment of Mars. The technology for ''Mars Express'' was developed from cancelled [[Russian Mars-96]] mission and the small ESA ''Rosetta'' mission to small solar system bodies (i.e. comets and asteroids). The orbiter carried eight instruments at launch:
* The ''High Resolution Stereo Camera'' (HRSC) for high resolution surface imaging.
* ''Energetic Neutron Atoms Analyser'' (ASPERA) to analyse how the [[solar wind]] erodes the Martian atmosphere.
* ''Planetary Fourier Spectrometer'' (PFS) to study of the atmospheric composition and circulation.
* ''Visible and Infrared Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer'' (OMEGA) to determine the [[surface composition]] and evolution processes.
* ''Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter'' (MARSIS) intended for the search for water in the subsurface.
* ''The Radio Science Experiment'' (MaRS) for sounding of the internal structure, atmosphere and environment.
* ''Ultraviolet and Infrared Mars Atmospheric Spectrometer'' (SPICAM) for the determination of the composition of the atmosphere of Mars.
* ''Beagle 2'' lander intended for [[geochemistry]] and [[exobiology]].

== Scientific Discoveries ==

Mars Express has made several important discoveries during its mission:

* Detection of [[water]] in the southern polar icecap using OMEGA (2004)
* Detection of [[methane]] & [[ammonia]] in the Martian atmosphere using PFS (2004)
* Location of an area of water ice near the north pole using HRSC (2005)

It has also carried out a wide variety of other important observations which have increased understanding of the Martian atmosphere & geology.

== External links ==
* [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/index.html ESA's Mars Express pages]
* [http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?mission=Mars+Express Recent Mars Express images]
* [http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/express/ NASA's Mars Express pages]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Express Wikipedia page on Mars Express]

[[category:Orbiters]]

Delta II rocket

2007-11-18T12:34:00Z

PeterBrett:

==Overview==

[[Image:delta_liftoff.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The launch of the Mars Global Surveyor onboard a McDonnell Douglas-built [[Delta II]]-7925 rocket on November 7, 1996 from [[Cape Canaveral Air Station]], Florida]]

'''Delta II''' [[rocket]] systems are used in a variety of applications.

'''Delta II''' is the current operational configuration of the original [[Thor-Delta]] family of launch vehicles which were based on the [[Thor]] [[ICBM]] of the 1950's.

During the development of the [[Space Shuttle]] program, expendables such as [[Delta]], [[Atlas]] and [[Titan]] were phased out. The [[Challenger]] accident (January 28, 1986), spurred renewed investment in [[expendable launch vehicle]]s such as the ''Delta II''.

''Delta II'' rockets have successfully launched over 125 missions into Earth [[orbit]] including several Mars missions:
* [[Mars Global Surveyor]] (1996)
* [[Mars Pathfinder]] (1996)
* [[Mars Climate Orbiter]] (1998)
* [[Mars Polar Lander]] (1999)
* [[Mars Odyssey]] (2001)
* [[Mars Exploration Rovers]] - [[Spirit]] and [[Opportunity]] (2003)
* [[Phoenix]] (2007)

==External links==
* [http://kevinforsyth.net/delta/ Delta II history]
* [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/delta/delta2/delta2.htm Boeing Integrated Defense Systems]

[[category:Launch vehicles]]

Phoenix Mars Mission

2007-11-18T12:32:54Z

PeterBrett: Expand article slightly

[[Image:Pheonixlogo.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The official logo for the ''Phoenix Mars Mission''.]]
NASA's '''Phoenix''' mission is an robotic mission, the first lander in NASA's "Scout class". The lander is intended to land in Mars' north polar region, and the scientific package aims to answer the questions:

1. Can the Martian arctic support life?
2. What is the history of water at the landing site?
3. How is the Martian climate affected by polar dynamics?

The mission's name derives from the fact that it has several components which were previously built for cancelled missions, including 2001's Mars Surveyor lander.

The mission is of considerable interest to planners of human missions to Mars, as many practical mission designs assume the availability of easily-extractable water for fuel production & industrial processes, and the polar regions are expected to be the most likely places to find water ice.

==Mission Profile==

Phoenix was launched on 4th August 2007 on a [[Delta II]] 7925 launch vehicle, and is scheduled to land on Mars on 25th May 2008. The landing site is to be the ice-capped northern polar region, and the primary mission is expected to last around 90 sols.

==See Also==
[[The Phoenix Mars Mission (MarsHome.org)]]

==External Links==
*[http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/ Phoenix web page]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(spacecraft) Wikipedia article on Phoenix]

[[Category:Landers]]

Phoenix

2007-11-18T12:09:06Z

PeterBrett: Redirecting to Phoenix Mars Mission

#REDIRECT [[Phoenix Mars Mission]]

Phoenix Mars Mission

2007-11-18T12:07:17Z

PeterBrett: Add some links

[[Image:Pheonixlogo.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The official logo for the ''Phoenix Mars Mission''.]]
NASA's '''Phoenix''' mission is an robotic mission to Mars due for launch in August 2007, as the first lander in NASA's "Scout class". Intended to analyse the Martian surface for water (as mapped by the [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]]), the ''Phoenix Mars Mission'' will test the Martian environment to provide data for future [[Hill-side concept|manned habitation]] of the planet. This is the first such lander to carry out these landmark tests.

==See Also==
[[The Phoenix Mars Mission (MarsHome.org)]]

==External Links==
*[http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/ Phoenix web page]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(spacecraft) Wikipedia article on Phoenix]

{{stub}}

[[Category:Landers]]

Methane

2007-11-18T11:44:08Z

PeterBrett: Add category

Methane

2007-11-18T11:36:42Z

PeterBrett: Include info on importance of methane & detection by Mars Express

Methane

2007-11-18T11:18:30Z

PeterBrett: correct TR408 link

'''Methane''' is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single [[carbon]] atom bonded to four [[hydrogen]] atoms.

Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it may be possible to produce it in situ using locally-available raw materials. This would make it an ideal fuel for rovers and rocket engines.

A number of LOX/methane fueled rockets are under development, such as the [[XCOR|XR5M15]] and [[TR408]].

Methane

2007-11-18T11:17:49Z

PeterBrett: New page: '''Methane''' is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it ...

TR408 Rocket

2007-11-18T11:12:58Z

PeterBrett:

[[Image:XCOR-5M15-testfire.jpg|right|300px|thumb|An [[XCOR]] LOX-Methane engine undergoing a test firing.]]

:"''The new TR408 engine is a hybrid, which can run on almost any state of oxygen and methane. It could be all gas, for example, stored at room temperature. Or it could be all liquid, similar to the liquid oxygen/hydrogen that powers the space shuttle.''" - [http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article.]

==See Also==
*[[Northrop Grumman]]
*[[Methane]]

==External links==
*[http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=131378 Northrop Grumman press release]
*[http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article on the TR408.]

[[category:Emerging Technology]]

TR408 Rocket

2007-11-18T11:12:01Z

PeterBrett:

[[Image:XCOR-5M15-testfire.jpg|right|300px|thumb|An [[XCOR]] LOX-Methane engine undergoing a test firing.]]

:"''The new TR408 engine is a hybrid, which can run on almost any state of oxygen and methane. It could be all gas, for example, stored at room temperature. Or it could be all liquid, similar to the liquid oxygen/hydrogen that powers the space shuttle.''" - [http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article.]

==External links==
*[http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=131378 Northrop Grumman press release]
*[http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article on the TR408.]

[[category:Emerging Technology]]

File talk:TR408 rocket.jpg

2007-11-18T11:10:16Z

PeterBrett: Please delete this image

Seeing as this isn't a TR408, should the image be deleted and re-uploaded with a less misleading filename? I had a look around and it seems like there haven't been any photos of the TR408 released yet. [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 10:28, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

== Please delete this image ==

[[Image:XCOR-5M15-testfire.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
Okay, I've uploaded a new and correctly-labelled version of this image here, so can this version please be removed? [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 11:10, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

XCOR Aerospace

2007-11-18T11:07:17Z

PeterBrett: Pretty pictures of the XR5M15

Founded in 1999, '''XCOR Aerospace''' is a California company which specializes in the design and production of high reliability and low cost rocket engines.

Recently, their collaboration with [[NASA]] and [[Alliant Techsystems|ATK]] to develop [[methane]]-oxygen engines has been particularly successful, resulting in the successful construction and test-firing of their XR5M15 engine designed for spacecraft main propulsion.

==XR5M15==
[[Image:XCOR-5M15-prototype.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The XR5M15 prototype]]
[[Image:XCOR-5M15-testfire.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Test-firing the XR5M15 at [[Mojave Spaceport]]]]
The '''XR5M15''' is one of XCOR's most recent engine designs and their most powerful design to date, with a rated thrust of 7500 lbf (33.4 kN).

The engine is being developed as a partnership between XCOR and ATK for NASA as part of the [[Vision for Space Exploration]]. It is intended to provide propulsion for return flights from the Moon and Mars, as well as for in-space maneuvering. The design builds upon their smaller XR3M9 LOX/methane engine, and reuses elements from many of their other designs.

As it is fueled by methane and LOX, it has a great deal of potential use for proposed Mars missions due to the possibility of producing methane on the Martian surface from locally available materials.

==See Also==
*[[Vision for Space Exploration]]
*[[Alliant Techsystems]]
*[[Methane]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.xcor.com/ XCOR website]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCOR XCOR Wikipedia page]

File:XCOR-5M15-testfire.jpg

2007-11-18T11:05:57Z

PeterBrett: The XCOR 5M15 engine being test-fired at Mojave Spaceport. :Image credit: Mike Massee / XCOR

The [[XCOR]] 5M15 engine being test-fired at [[Mojave Spaceport]].

:Image credit: Mike Massee / XCOR

File:XCOR-5M15-prototype.jpg

2007-11-18T11:01:48Z

PeterBrett: Prototype of the XCOR XR5M15 LOX/methane engine. :Image credit: Mike Massee / XCOR

Prototype of the [[XCOR]] XR5M15 LOX/methane engine.

:Image credit: Mike Massee / XCOR

XCOR Aerospace

2007-11-18T10:59:11Z

PeterBrett: Initial version w/info on XR5M15 engine

Founded in 1999, '''XCOR Aerospace''' is a California company which specializes in the design and production of high reliability and low cost rocket engines.

Recently, their collaboration with [[NASA]] and [[Alliant Techsystems|ATK]] to develop [[methane]]-oxygen engines has been particularly successful, resulting in the successful construction and test-firing of their XR5M15 engine designed for spacecraft main propulsion.

==XR5M15==

The '''XR5M15''' is one of XCOR's most recent engine designs and their most powerful design to date, with a rated thrust of 7500 lbf (33.4 kN).

The engine is being developed as a partnership between XCOR and ATK for NASA as part of the [[Vision for Space Exploration]]. It is intended to provide propulsion for return flights from the Moon and Mars, as well as for in-space maneuvering. The design builds upon their smaller XR3M9 LOX/methane engine, and reuses elements from many of their other designs.

As it is fueled by methane and LOX, it has a great deal of potential use for proposed Mars missions due to the possibility of producing methane on the Martian surface from locally available materials.

==See Also==
*[[Vision for Space Exploration]]
*[[Alliant Techsystems]]
*[[Methane]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.xcor.com/ XCOR website]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCOR XCOR Wikipedia page]

XCOR Aerospace

2007-11-18T10:37:37Z

PeterBrett: Initial version

File talk:TR408 rocket.jpg

2007-11-18T10:28:51Z

PeterBrett: New page: Seeing as this isn't a TR408, should the image be deleted and re-uploaded with a less misleading filename? I had a look around and it seems like there haven't been any photos of the TR408...

TR408 Rocket

2007-11-18T10:26:24Z

PeterBrett: Image is of an XCOR engine, not of the TR408!

[[Image:TR408_rocket.jpg|right|300px|thumb|An [[XCOR]] LOX-Methane engine undergoing a test firing.]]

:"''The new TR408 engine is a hybrid, which can run on almost any state of oxygen and methane. It could be all gas, for example, stored at room temperature. Or it could be all liquid, similar to the liquid oxygen/hydrogen that powers the space shuttle.''" - [http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article.]

==External links==
*[http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=131378 Northrop Grumman press release]
*[http://www.universetoday.com/2007/11/15/radical-new-steering-thruster-tested/ Universe Today article on the TR408.]

[[category:Emerging Technology]]

List of Analog Station Efforts

2007-11-17T10:25:08Z

PeterBrett: New page: This is a list of Mars station simulation projects for which Marspedia needs articles. * Mars500

This is a list of Mars station simulation projects for which Marspedia needs articles.

* [[Mars500]]

Solar panel

2007-11-16T21:41:49Z

PeterBrett: Drawbacks to solar power.

[[Image:Beagle2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An artists impression of the ill-fated [[Beagle 2]] lander. The prominent '''solar panels''' are deployed.]]

'''Solar Panels''' generate electric [[energy]] out of [[sunlight]]. Usually they are constructed from a semi-conductor such as [[silicon]]. Solar panels are frequently used in space primarily for [[:category:orbiters (Terrestrial)|satellites and space stations in Earth orbit]] and is the prime source of energy for [[Mars]] [[:category:orbiters|satellites]], [[:category:landers|landers]] and [[:category:rovers|rovers]]. Solar panels begin to lose usefulness for deep space and outer solar system missions (i.e. the [[Cassini]] mission to Jupiter or the [[Voyager]] program) where [[nuclear thermal generators]] are the favoured (if controversial) means to generate electricity.

[[Image:Iss.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[International Space Station]] in Earth orbit. The huge solar arrays provide the station's electrical power.]]

On [[Mars]] the sunlight is bright enough to use solar panels. The famous rovers [[Spirit]] and [[Opportunity]] have them. The experiences are terrific: Since July 2003 they are working fine, and the Martian [[wind]]s have kept the surfaces clear of dust. However, the rovers cannot operate at full capacity during the Martian winter when the intensity of the sunlight is reduced, and dust storms have from time to time caused severe reductions in the available power, requiring the rovers to go into a low-power "hibernation" mode.

A major drawback to using solar power is the requirement for some form of energy storage to keep power available during the Martian night. Most conventional schemes (e.g. batteries and flywheels) are practical on a small scale, but do not scale up very easily. [[Nuclear reactors]] have therefore been considered as the preferred energy source for most plans for medium- to long-term human expeditions to Mars.

[[category:technology]]

User:PeterBrett

2007-11-16T21:28:59Z

PeterBrett: New page: My name is Peter Brett; I'm a student in "Electrical and Information Sciences" at [http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/ Cambridge University Engineering Department].

My name is Peter Brett; I'm a student in "Electrical and Information Sciences" at [http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/ Cambridge University Engineering Department].

Talk:House

2007-11-16T21:27:33Z

PeterBrett: New page: Wouldn't it make sense for '''House''' to redirect to Building than vice versa? ~~~~

Wouldn't it make sense for '''House''' to redirect to [[Building]] than vice versa? [[User:PeterBrett|Peter]] 21:27, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Fail-safe

2007-11-16T21:26:13Z

PeterBrett: Better intro.

Due to the hostile [[environmental conditions]] on [[Mars]], human visitors to the planet would have to rely heavily on artificial environments in order to survive. Their [[habitat]]s' [[life support]] equipment must therefore run 100% reliably. This article describes the principles of '''fail-safe''' engineering.

The basic premise of fail-safe behaviour is to ensure that if a system or subsystem fails, it should do so in a "safe" manner; that is, no single failure should be able to place those who use or maintain it in danger.

==Redundancy==
Every system is built twice or more, where each can work independent from the other. The capacity of each system is big enough to support the full service in case of failure of one system. In normal operation both systems are running in parallel with half load. This principle provides the best reliability for the whole function.

Example: The number and size of [[solar panel]]s is at least twice as big as actually needed for vital system operation. In normal operation mode the surplus energy can be used for additional convenience.

==Mesh==
Services must be available independent from the failure location.

Example: If building A and building B have their own air supply system then People in building A can get air from building B in case of a failure in the air supply system of their own building.

==Backup systems==
A standby system is automatically powered up, or can be manually brought into operation shortly. Advantage: The system is not subject to full maintenance effort during standby mode. Risk: If not checked in regular intervals the backup system may not be able to work if needed.

[[category:concepts]]
[[category:technology]]

Habitat

2007-11-16T21:19:11Z

PeterBrett: /* Mars habitats */ Rephrase, including examples of hostile environmental factors.

==Definition==
A '''habitat''' is an environment in which an organism, or group of organisms live in [[symbiosis]].

==Mars habitats==

The [[environmental conditions]] on [[Mars]] are hostile for humans without life support systems; examples of the factors which make the surface of Mars uninhabitable include the thin, oxygen-poor atmosphere, the lack of easily available liquid water and the extremely cold climate. The '''habitat''' of any human visitor to Mars would have to be set of self-contained artificial environments such as [[building]]s, [[rover]]s and [[space suit]]s.

[[Terraforming]] has be suggested as a way of making the whole surface of Mars habitable.

[[Category:Settlements]]
[[Category:Biospherics]]
[[Category:Climate]]

Delta IV

2007-11-16T21:13:37Z

PeterBrett: Add some info on the Delta IV

[[Image:Delta4-heavy.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The '''Delta IV-Heavy''' at lift-off on 11 Nov 2007.]]

The '''Delta IV''' series of launchers was developed by [[Boeing]] during the late 1990s as part of the US Air Force's [[Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle]] program. It is now manufactured and launched by the [[United Launch Alliance]] consortium.

Several variants of the Delta IV exist in order to cater for a wide spectrum of civilian and military mission profiles; however, only the largest of these, the '''Delta IV Heavy''' would be of major interest for Mars mission planning.

The Heavy configuration (pictured) uses three Common Booster Cores (CBC) in parallel as its first stage, each mounting a single [[Rocketdyne]] [[RS-68]] hydrogen-oxygen engine. It has an LEO performance of approx. 23 tonnes, but this comes at a hefty price tag of between $250 million and $300 million per launch.

{{stub}}

==External Links==

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV_rocket Wikipedia page]
* [http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/delheavy.htm Delta IV Heavy page at Astronautix]

[[category:Launch vehicles]]

Delta IV

2007-11-16T20:37:14Z

PeterBrett: Delta IV-Heavy moved to Delta IV: Better to have a single page for the whole of the Delta IV series of launchers.

[[Image:Delta4-heavy.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The '''Delta IV-Heavy''' is the largest rocket to launch (Nov. 10, 2007) since the [[Saturn V]]. Capable of carrying 13 tonnes into Earth's [[orbit]], this rocket design has obvious uses for any future mission to Mars.]]

{{stub}}

[[category:Launch vehicles]]

Delta IV-Heavy

2007-11-16T20:37:14Z

PeterBrett: Delta IV-Heavy moved to Delta IV: Better to have a single page for the whole of the Delta IV series of launchers.

#REDIRECT [[Delta IV]]

List of Robotic Missions

2007-11-16T20:36:06Z

PeterBrett: We now have a page on Exomars, so remove from list

This is a list of robotic missions for which Marspedia needs articles. For missions that articles already exist for, please see [[:Category:Missions]].

Many mission names begin with the word "Mars": where this is the case, they are listed by the ''second'' word of their name.

=='''O'''==

[[Mars Observer]] 

=='''P'''==

[[Phobos 1]] 
[[Phobos 2]] 
[[Phobos-Grunt]] 

=='''S'''==

[[Mars Science Laboratory]]

=='''V'''==

[[Viking 2]]

ExoMars

2007-11-16T20:35:07Z

PeterBrett: Initial information

'''Exomars''' is part of the [[ESA]]'s [[Aurora Flagship]] sequence of exploratory missions. The mission will deploy a rover to the surface of Mars to carry out a number of scientific experiments around its landing site, along with an orbiter to carry out data relay between the rover and mission control on Earth.

The current specification calls for the rover to be solar-powered and to carry a 40 kg scientific payload with an emphasis on exobiology research.

== External Links ==

* [http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/SEM1NVZKQAD_0.html Exomars web page]

Delta IV

2007-11-16T18:41:35Z

PeterBrett:

List of Space Station and Module Companies

2007-11-13T17:24:30Z

PeterBrett: Initial list contents

This is a list of space station & module companies for which Marspedia needs articles.

=='''B'''==

[[Bigelow Aerospace]]

=='''S'''==

[[Spacehab]]

List of Robotic Missions

2007-11-13T17:15:37Z

PeterBrett: Remove missions for which articles already exist.

This is a list of robotic missions for which Marspedia needs articles. For missions that articles already exist for, please see [[:Category:Missions]].

Many mission names begin with the word "Mars": where this is the case, they are listed by the ''second'' word of their name.

=='''E'''==

[[ExoMars]] 

=='''O'''==

[[Mars Observer]] 

=='''P'''==

[[Phobos 1]] 
[[Phobos 2]] 
[[Phobos-Grunt]] 

=='''S'''==

[[Mars Science Laboratory]]

=='''V'''==

[[Viking 2]]