Building Mars First Part

We will talk about a planet that took its place after Earth in our solar system and that mankind has observed, talked about and sent various spacecrafts for centuries.

from Mars.

LOOKING AT THE RED PLANET

I was sitting next to me with my binoculars and my coffee on a warm, cloudless and low-light evening. My goal was to try to see the Red Planet, namely Mars, through the lens of binoculars. That’s what happened. After sipping my coffee, I closed the lid so that it wouldn’t get cold and placed it inside the net on the arm of the chair. I took the binoculars and started looking for Mars.

We live in a time when mobile device applications are increasing and their areas of influence are increasing. My friends told me they used a phone app while doing amateur space watching. So I downloaded it and started using it, but this program made everything so easy. The application; I doubted whether it could accurately indicate the positions of planets, stars and other celestial bodies. I pointed my test phone at our satellite, the Moon, and noticed that it was showing our satellite in close proximity, although it wasn’t exactly right. However, I had a question in mind. Huygens, Galileo, Kepler and other great scientists were not finding celestial bodies the easy way. For this reason, I deleted the app and started searching myself.

I scanned all the space my eyes saw and finally found Mars. However, for the sake of Mars, I suffered two days of neck pain. Well, after all, I came to a conclusion and Mars was now in the lens of my binoculars. It is thus much easier for one to “see” what one hopes to see.

I don’t remember how long I looked, but I looked until I lost sight of Mars and an idea came to my mind. How Should Mars Be Built? Saying.

Here is today’s post.

RED PLANET IN GENERAL

Red planet, Mars, Mars are actually different names of the same planet. The most well-known is Mars. I love to call it the Red Planet. So, why do we call a piece of stone revolving in a certain orbit the Red Planet? When you look at the Red Planet, you come across a red-orange color. Of course that’s my term. It is actually iron oxide that gives the planet this color.

The features of the Red Planet are similar to those of the Earth. It also revolves around the Sun like our planet and its average distance is 227,940,000 km (Two hundred twenty seven million nine one hundred and forty thousand) kilometers. I also want to share the distance between the Earth and the Sun so that I can compare. The distance between the Sun and the Earth is 149,600,000 (One hundred forty-nine million six hundred thousand) kilometers. There may be slight variations between the values, but on average these are the distances. For interpretations, the Red Planet comes after Earth. Therefore, the orbital period of a planet coming after Earth will be different from Earth’s. Accordingly, the rotation period of Red around the Sun is 687 (Six hundred and eighty-seven) days.

Red’s orbit is eccentric. This shows that the distance between Red and the Sun is in a multivariate attitude. For example, when Red reaches its apogee, its distance from the Sun is 249,200,000 (Two hundred forty-nine million two hundred thousand) kilometers. When it reaches the perihelion point, the distance between them is 206.6 million (Two hundred six million six hundred thousand) kilometers. If we take the Earth, the distance between the Earth and the Sun is an average of 150,000,000 (One hundred and fifty million) kilometers. At the apogee, the distance between the Earth and the Sun is 152,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifty-two million) kilometers. At the perihelion point, the distance between the Earth and the Sun decreases to 147,000,000 (One hundred and forty-seven million) kilometers.

You’ve heard of it before. “If the Earth were one meter closer to the Sun, we would be scorching hot!” Saying. Such a thing is unfounded. The Earth moves closer and further away from the Sun in millions of kilometers per year.

The axial tilt of Kızıl and the axial tilt of our world are very similar. The orbital line of the Earth does not exactly coincide with the equatorial line. The angle between the equator line and the orbit line is 23 degrees 27 minutes. The axial tilt of Red is 25 degrees 19 minutes. You know that the axial tilt results in the seasons. So one of the similarities between Earth and Red is the seasons. For example, let’s take the geography of Turkey and Argentina. Turkey is located in the Northern Hemisphere while Argentina is located in the Southern Hemisphere. In July, while it is summer in Turkey, it is winter in Argentina. When the Earth reaches its apocalyptic date in July, the distance between them increases and we are living in the summer season. One of the reasons for this is the inclination of the axis and this situation is also experienced in Kızıl. However, the seasons experienced on Earth are longer in Red.

Red is a cold planet. The highest measured temperature is in the range of 30~35 Celsius, while the lowest measured temperature is -140 Celsius. In short, Red is a somewhat cool planet. Also, a day in Red is described as “left”. Red’s atmospheric density is less than Earth’s, as you might expect. So what exactly do I mean by atmospheric density? To put it briefly, imagine that you are currently living at an altitude of 35~37 kilometers from where you are reading this article. This is how Red’s atmospheric density compares with Earth’s atmospheric density. In addition, the Earth’s atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen, while the Red atmosphere contains 95% carbon dioxide. We must not forget that carbon dioxide is a compound heavier than air. Therefore, the Red surface has an abundance of carbon dioxide. Finally, Red has two moons.

In the light of all this information, I looked at Red. It was so beautiful that I kept looking despite all my neck pain. I took another sip of my coffee, which I placed in the mesh part of the chair. I want to dream a little.

BUILDING A LIFE ON THE RED PLANET

I want to get rid of the utopian stories because I’m going to talk about the facts. Within this century, my guess is that in 2069, life will begin on the Red Planet and people will start interplanetary travel, getting up in the morning to go to work. All of this will be possible on the Red Planet.

I can hear you saying that we’re already doing all these things. You are right about that, after all, there is nothing new under the sun. Everything you’ve seen is actually derivatives of the base, that’s all. The same will happen on the Red Planet. The only thing that will change will be the earth we live in.

However, we are not inexperienced and uninformed before making a life in Kızıl. While establishing life on Earth, we went through many difficulties, many wars and many experiences. Now we will easily overcome the difficulties that we will encounter on our way to another planet. The main question will be, what should our residential areas be like?

In the second part, we will begin life on the Red Planet.

SECOND PART

THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

Have you heard this saying, which was said in a very old date, before? Let’s think about…

All objects such as the phone you use in your hand, the car you drive, the pen you write in, are actually a differentiation of the previous one. Arda, can you expand a little more? I can hear you say. For example, the first production of the Ford T – Model vehicle dates back to 1908, which corresponds to more than a hundred years. When you look at this vehicle, you will see that it is not much different from the vehicles used today. Is there such a thing? What’s in the T-Model? You can, and you’re right. I want you to look at the big picture. Ford T – The vehicle you call a model has four wheels, a steering wheel and a not very powerful engine. Today’s vehicles also have four wheels, steering wheels and have engines that will not be considered very powerful a hundred years later. Of course, current vehicles are technologically superior, but we should not forget that everything we see, hear and feel around us existed before. It will happen later, and it will be put at the service of humanity, only slightly different from its foundation.

So what awaits us in Kızıl?

RESIDENTIAL AREAS

We won’t go through trial and error over and over for our residential areas in Kizil because we already have centuries of experience in building. We will only prefer houses with more dome architecture, which will be different from our world. Why dome architecture? Because Red is a pretty stormy planet. Minimally affected by the flow of the storm, minimalist domes will be highly functional. Since it is a red, cold planet, the houses with dome architecture that we will live in should receive as much sun as possible. Considering that the winter month in Kızıl lasts twice as long as the winter in the world, it reveals how precious the sun’s rays are.

Additionally, houses with dome architecture; It should be built by the laying method. This will both prolong the duration of sunshine, increase the physical building stock, and also eliminate the housing problem that will arise when people move to the planet.

I’m sure you laughed at my last sentence. Well, hold on. More robots are just going! You say. I assure you. However, do not forget that with the rockets that started to be used in the Second World War, space vehicles can be transported to various planets today. When we think about the establishment of the Turkish Aeronautical Association twenty years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, we need to be aware of how fast the future is coming.

TRANSPORT

One of the indispensable parts of our daily life is transportation. Can you imagine traveling without all roads (air, sea, land, iron)? I do not think so. However, such problems will arise during the settlement in Kızıl.

I want to start with the highway. All highways must pass underground. Yes, you heard right. All highways without exception. You ask why? The highway, which will primarily be built underground, will give freedom to the creatures living on the planet. Those living in Istanbul can understand much better what I mean. Everywhere is full of vehicles and unfortunately we cannot enjoy this beautiful city. In order to get from one place to another, you have to go to traffic early in the morning or late in the evening. I don’t know if there is anything else that restricts human freedom so much. However, if we take the highways underground, then cities and countries can become more livable. Carbon emissions, too.

With the undergrounding of highways, road lanes can also be arranged. I’m not talking about a bifurcated highway. Giant roads with at least ten lanes, employees who constantly monitor these roads, cameras, vehicles and rest stations where you can go to the ground to get air will be important in terms of transportation. Internal combustion vehicles (cars, buses, etc.) will probably not be used when they are settled in Kızıl. Therefore, there will be no gas emissions with the underground transportation. This is important for the health of the planet and living things. Driving safety will also increase with underground roads. We will not experience natural events such as rain and snow underground. Considering that there are constant sandstorms, especially in Kızıl; ground transportation will be a useful choice for us to continue our lives on the planet.

Railroad and public transport should also be underground and stations should be under residential areas. After getting off at the stop, you should be able to go to your home by taking the escalator or elevator to the floor.

In addition, after using the main road with a passenger car, you reached the street of your house and parked your vehicle in the car park located right under your building. You took the elevator to your house and looked at the city you live in from your house. Wouldn’t it be nice to have no cars at all? When you consider the possibilities of living in a residential area with lush trees, where people play sports, where children play, away from noise and visual pollution, in terms of health and peace; You will also want transportation to be underground on the planet we live on.

Is it possible for a rocket leaving Earth to reach Red directly? Yes it is possible. However, in terms of transportation to the Red Planet, my idea is to use our satellite, the Moon, as a station. You ask why? Because with the station to be established on the Moon, rockets can be sent to Red continuously, and refueling facilities and space observatories can be established. Yes, it is desired to make a life in Red, but the Moon should not be skipped. Ideas about the moon may be the subject of another article.

As for the airline, the air transportation you already know will continue in Kızıl. Of course not! Unless you can expect it to be exactly the same. There are constant storms in Red and these storms seriously affect flight performance. In addition, the average atmospheric pressure in Red corresponds to 0.6 of the atmospheric pressure on Earth. To give some technical details, 1 standard atmosphere on Earth is 101,325 kilopascals. In Red it is 0.6 kPa. Imagine living on Earth at an average altitude of thirty-five kilometers. At an altitude of thirty-five kilometers, atmospheric pressure is equal to the average surface atmospheric pressure at Kizil. With these values, I do not know whether a passenger plane can take off from the surface of the Red Planet, and I cannot predict. Rockets can fly over the Red Planet, but I can’t say for sure about the fate of jet-powered aircraft.

COMMUNICATION

Another essential element is communication. We use communication in many ways, such as communicating with each other, talking, watching the news, constantly checking our ex-girlfriend/boyfriend’s account on Instagram. We will continue our habits in this regard, but our communication tools will of course change. I don’t want to go too far. I only remember the landline telephone line we had connected to our house twenty years ago. It had a number starting with 213 and the vehicle we used was a dial phone. We had a phone book and sometimes we waited by the phone for minutes to reach someone. In 2007, the first smart phone was introduced, when the 3G service was offered, we had the privilege of video chatting with someone. As you can see, our communication tools have opened new doors not only with the objects we use, but also in our friendship relations. Social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram have changed our lives and habits. All these changes took place in a very short time and continue to happen. Don’t worry, the same will happen with Kızıl. A little different, of course.

I want to focus on the internet here. First of all, our internet access will reach very different dimensions in Kızıl. I think people will spend more time on Metaverse. We will become more familiar with it and live more in the Metaverse. I believe that friendship and business relations will also take place and develop on this ground.

The devices and objects we will use to connect to the Internet will become much easier. Cryptocurrency and NFTs will prevail. We will not use weight-creating objects such as wallets and key chains, and we will be more simple. Cable broadcasts, radios and television channels will be history.

In short, the internet will be the place where everything is created, developed and resolved.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN MARS

It is not possible to count the job opportunities that will occur on the Red Planet at the moment. Do you know why? There will be so many job opportunities that we will be amazed. However, as in the world, job opportunities will become more valuable in Kızıl as time passes, and they will lose their value as time passes.

Before the Industrial Revolution, the loom was one of the most popular and money-making occupations. When the Industrial Revolution took place, the loom was replaced by machines and business areas increased. For workers, an emerging line of business may turn into fear of “Losing a Job”, but when we consider the benefits, the fear may give way to learning. For example, industrial establishments, especially automobile manufacturers, have a single-row assembly line. This assembly line starts with the smallest part of the vehicle to be produced and is produced until the vehicle comes off the band. All of them are carried out on a single line and precision robots work on this line. Have people lost their jobs because there are robots? No. With the advent of robots, new business areas were born. Job fields such as robot operator, welding robot operator are currently available. In addition, there are hundreds of companies that post job postings for periodic maintenance of robots. Fear of losing a job has created new jobs and learning spaces. We will see this in Red as well.

All professional groups will welcome the unbearable excitement of constructing a planet from scratch on which no life has been established before. Especially in the beginning, there will be a great need for works such as excavation operator, installation design. Biologists, chemists and physicists will also be needed. The research fields of biologists will develop so much that I cannot imagine what will be added to what we know now. Likewise, I have to share the same situation for chemists and physicists.

FINAL WORDS

The Red Planet has attracted the attention of mankind for centuries. In this context, we are getting new information about Kızıl every day. I tried to imagine a future using this information. You can see all the articles I shared with you here as an element of imagination. However, we should not forget that Jules Verne dreamed of three people going to the Moon in his book Journey to the Moon and published his book in 1865. Three astronauts served on the Apollo 11 spacecraft and landed on the Moon in 1969. Jules Verne’s dream did not come true, of course, the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. But he had a dream and that dream came true.

I believe that the burgeoning space industry, together with personal entrepreneurs, will reach Red in a much shorter time. When mankind reaches Kızıl, it will not wait a hundred years to establish civilization.

In 2069, the dream of living in Kızıl will come true.