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Lava tubes

“This would be the first time any of the children saw the surface. The colonists had built underground, using existing caves and lava tubes where possible, building and burying structures where necessary. This was to protect themselves from solar and cosmic radiation. On Earth, the atmosphere and magnetic field serve this purpose. But Mars has little of either, so dirt and rock filled the role.”
– from Scratching the Surface: Generation Mars, Prelude

A new paper explores lava tubes in the Hellas Planitia as possible habitats for humans.

These lava tubes could be the safest place for explorers to live on Mars
These lava tubes could be the safest place for explorers to live on Mars

The Martian surface is a radiation hot zone. But these lava tubes might offer safety.
livescience.com livescience.com
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Geology of the Moon

The USGS recently released a comprehensive geologic map of the Moon.

 

USGS releases first-ever comprehensive geologic map of the Moon
USGS releases first-ever comprehensive geologic map of the Moon

Have you ever wondered what kind of rocks make up those bright and dark splotches on the moon? Well, the USGS has just released a new authoritative map to help explain the 4.5-billion-year-old history of our nearest neighbor in space.
phys.org phys.org

Digital versions available at https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/Moon/Geology/Unified_Geologic_Map_of_the_Moon_GIS.

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Author reading

As part of the Generation Mars coronavirus response, I’ve decided to read the first book of the series, Scratching the Surface, on YouTube. The first installment is available now. The next will be released tomorrow (4/4).

If response is positive, I may consider some other YouTube goodies in the near future. Follow Generation Mars on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for timely updates.

- YouTube
- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be youtu.be
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Rust as radiation shielding

About that radiation… what about rust as a shield?
 
The research focused on shielding for electronics, but could this scale? Imagine our Mars transit ships being the same color as the planet itself, coated in a layer of rust for protection.
Researchers Develop Smaller, Lighter Radiation Shielding
Researchers Develop Smaller, Lighter Radiation Shielding

Researchers have developed a new technique for shielding electronics in military and space exploration technology from ionizing radiation.
NC State News NC State News
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The perennial question: Moon or Mars?

We don’t need to go to the Moon in order to go to Mars. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to the Moon. It’s just not a prerequisite.

I love this quote from John Grunsfeld, when asked about the radiation risk of a Mars trip: “How does that compare to the risk of blowing up on the launchpad or on ascent; getting hit by a meteor, asteroid, debris, some kind of space junk on the way there; burning up in the Mars atmosphere; burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere on the way back; or missing the Earth? You add up all those risks, and the [risk of radiation exposure] is kind of just another one.”

The Pros and Cons of a Lunar Pit Stop
The Pros and Cons of a Lunar Pit Stop

NASA definitely wants to go to Mars. But does it need the moon to get there?
The Atlantic The Atlantic