Elon Musk has a better idea than “Nuke Mars” to make the planet hospitable, this time using SpaceX satellites to reflect sunlight. | Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP
By CCN Markets: Elon Musk has leaked more of his plans to make Mars habitable. The SpaceX boss tweeted an alternative idea to warm the red planet’s inhospitable surface via the use of reflective satellites. While the “Nuke Mars” slogan has been attracting a lot of attention, these latest ideas demonstrate just how seriously Musk is taking this project.
Might make sense to have thousands of solar reflector satellites ? to warm Mars vs artificial suns (tbd)
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 20, 2019
Elon Musk Raises Possibility of Using Satellites to Warm Mars
The prospect of exploding a nuclear bomb on Mars to create atmosphere-forming greenhouses gases is such an ambitious project that it could only have come from the mind of Elon Musk. Now though, the SpaceX boss is thinking about less spectacular options. If a nuclear reaction isn’t going to be successful (and many believe it wouldn’t be), Musk needs a plan B.
[embedded content]
Nuke Mars Is One of Musk’s Most Speculative Ideas
Using reflective satellites is certainly a less sexy option than using intermittent nuclear blasts to create artificial suns, but it might be more straightforward. The danger associated with “Nuke Mars” is creating a nuclear winter, making the planet even less hospitable than it already is. There is also the chance that no atmosphere would form at all; warming satellites wouldn’t be nearly so risky. Contrary to these views, Musk has personally made it clear he doesn’t believe there are serious risks of Mars being drenched in radiation.
Not risky imo & can be adjusted/improved real-time. Essentially need to figure out most effective way to convert mass to energy, as Mars is slightly too far from this solar system’s fusion reactor (the sun).
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 20, 2019
SpaceX and Tesla Have All the Technology to Make This Work
Creating satellite constellations is something with which SpaceX has a large amount of experience. The company’s “Starlink” project to develop affordable Wi-Fi is already underway. Add Tesla’s solar panel experience to the mix, and Musk has all the technology he needs to make this project work. Naturally, the biggest issue is that low-orbit satellites around the earth are a lot easier to position than 140 million miles away in Martian orbit.
Elon Musk’s latest plans might be more feasible than “Nuke Mars” | REUTERS / Thom Baur / File Photo
The SpaceX CEO is not making any final decisions on this complex issue and is still able to see the funny side of his outrageous aspirations.
Source: Twitter
Musk has had a lot on his plate this week, whether it be reminding us that we don’t yet have any asteroid defense plans or relaunching Tesla Solar. Humankind will, therefore, forgive the Tesla boss for not having decided precisely how he is going to make Mars a lush paradise just yet.
This article is protected by copyright laws and is owned by CCN Markets.
Source: CCNThe post appeared first on XBT.MONEY
