GS1140 Research paper
The Mission
As a group we decided to focus on Project B: Living on Another Planet. Since this idea has been researched and extensively theorized by NASA’s finest, we felt that this topic would be interesting since it may be obtainable within our lifetime. What would it take to live on another planet? What would we need to survive, to thrive, and to be comfortable on our new “alien” planet? We chose not to present the question “How do we get there?” since that question brings up an infinite amount of theories that Scientist and Physicist alike are still trying to overcome. Which planet would we want to live on? We chose a moon proven to have liquid water under its surface, Enceladus. With other living options out there like Mars, or Titan (one of Saturn’s larger moons) we chose in our opinion one of the least taxing and more accommodating locations.
Where and Why Enceladus? Enceladus is a one of the Saturn’s moons. Enceladus measures about 500 km (310 miles) in diameter. It has an orbit cycle of 33hrs around Saturn .It is the brightest of Saturn’s moons and currently the only known moon in our solar system to have a surface comprised of pure water ice. It also has many active regions that shoot plumes of water ice from its surface high above toward Saturn. This is important to note because this creates friction and friction creates heat. The average surface temperature near these ice plumes is about -135 °F which is far warmer than you would expect considering Saturn’s distance from our sun. Enceladus provides us with one of the most important things human’s need to survive. Water. With Enceladus’ surface being solid, and liquid water present beneath the surface it wouldn’t be difficult to build a sturdy habitat above, or around a substantial water source.
Surviving
To be able to sustain life on our new home we will need a few important essential ingredients. Shelter, water, food, and entertainment. We can model our shelter after the one
As a group we decided to focus on Project B: Living on Another Planet. Since this idea has been researched and extensively theorized by NASA’s finest, we felt that this topic would be interesting since it may be obtainable within our lifetime. What would it take to live on another planet? What would we need to survive, to thrive, and to be comfortable on our new “alien” planet? We chose not to present the question “How do we get there?” since that question brings up an infinite amount of theories that Scientist and Physicist alike are still trying to overcome. Which planet would we want to live on? We chose a moon proven to have liquid water under its surface, Enceladus. With other living options out there like Mars, or Titan (one of Saturn’s larger moons) we chose in our opinion one of the least taxing and more accommodating locations.
Where and Why Enceladus? Enceladus is a one of the Saturn’s moons. Enceladus measures about 500 km (310 miles) in diameter. It has an orbit cycle of 33hrs around Saturn .It is the brightest of Saturn’s moons and currently the only known moon in our solar system to have a surface comprised of pure water ice. It also has many active regions that shoot plumes of water ice from its surface high above toward Saturn. This is important to note because this creates friction and friction creates heat. The average surface temperature near these ice plumes is about -135 °F which is far warmer than you would expect considering Saturn’s distance from our sun. Enceladus provides us with one of the most important things human’s need to survive. Water. With Enceladus’ surface being solid, and liquid water present beneath the surface it wouldn’t be difficult to build a sturdy habitat above, or around a substantial water source.
Surviving
To be able to sustain life on our new home we will need a few important essential ingredients. Shelter, water, food, and entertainment. We can model our shelter after the one
References: Corley, A. (2011). 520 DAYS. New Scientist, 211(2830), 39-43. Triton scuba mask. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Spotlight-Odd-Looking-Scuba-Mask-Turns-You-Into-a-Fish-413882.shtml