| Latest Research | |||
| Researchers have
found that there are two ways to terraform Mars: Melting the ice caps, causing
heavier atmosphere; or absorbing sunrays with black, carbon objects on the
surface. Melting the icecaps would involve a massive reflector panel, thinner
than a sheet of aluminum foil, that heats up the surface temperature of
Mars thus melting the polar ice caps, resulting in the release in carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere. Absorbing the sunlight on the surface also
causes the temperature to rise. The main focus is to raise the temperature
of the surface in order to melt the ice caps and supply the planet with
flowing water and heavier atmosphere resulting in a "Greenhouse Effect".
NASA has also been working on a project
known as "solar sail". Basically using mirrors to harness the
sun's radiation to propel a spacecraft through space. They estimate the
mirrors would have a diameter of 250km, cover an area larger than Lake
Michigan and weigh roughly about 200,000 tons. Because of their massive
size they would be unable to launch them from the Earth. |
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