The Environment
Mars Millennium Project
Hello, I am in the Environment Group. Unless humans want to wear space suits on Mars forever we will need plants to supply us with oxygen. Humans breathe out carbon dioxide that floats around in the air. Plants take in this carbon dioxide and let out oxygen that humans can breathe. This pattern is taking place on Earth as we speak. However, our mission is to have this happen on Mars. Once this cycle has started, it will change Mars' atmosphere to the one like Earth's and the planet will go from a little below zero degrees to a little over it.
This is how the Environment Group plans to get the environment started on Mars. First we need to bring serveral supplies from Earth for this trip. They include seeds for plants and trees like several green seeds, shrub seeds, flower seeds, etc. We will need bees and other flies to pollinate the flowers. These insects will go from flower to flower spreading pollen. After this the male and females combine and reproduce. We will also need some water to water these plants until they can form their own ecosystem.
At first, we will use the dust on Mars' rough surface to make glass for the circular shaped bubble that will have all the plants in it. As we are making the bubble we will put some of the plants on the ground to absorb carbon dioxide. So when the bubble is completed some plants are already giving off oxygen. Then we keep bringing and planting as many plants amd trees as possible. Lucky for us we don't need to feed the plants plant food because plants take rays from the sun and turn it into energy or food. This process is called photosynthesis. On the top row there will be baskets made out of the clay in Mars' soil. We will put plants in the baskets and suspend them from metal beams. There will be two metal beams (one above the other) because one beam holds up to fifteen plant baskets. Soon enough this greenhouse-bubble will be complete and ready for humans with no space suits.
Being on the Mars Millenium Team meant a lot to me because it was so hard to get to where we are now. It felt like yesterday that I was working as hard as I could to get the different Mars homework done. It also means a lot to me because I am in part of a team that is determined and interested in astronomy.
I was surprised to see how kids of different ages that I didn't know had so many good ideas. I also learned that there is more fun working with someone you don't know than with someone you do, because being with your best friends all of the time can get boring. There were also some topics about Mars that surprised me. I learned that water might have been on Mars at one time and that scientists are trying to melt Mars' polar ice caps.
If I had to do this project over again I would still participate but do a different topic like transportation. I would get to know the people in my group better. But I would still work just as hard because this is a once in a lifetime thing and once you are out, you are not coming back. Sadly, some of the members had to learn that lesson the hard way.
I liked how we got to say whatever was on our minds no matter how crazy it was and how we all had good ideas that everyone could add on to. I also liked how we had time to work on the computers and making the models was probably my favorite part. However, on the other hand I think that we needed more that one hour per week. We could have gotten together on Thursday or whatever. And I absolutely hated it that Mrs. Rothermich was out with surgery.
But now that it's almost over I realized that I enjoyed myself and learned to work with people I don't know. Thank you Mrs. Rothermich and Miss Murray for giving your time and making this program a success.
By Paul D.
Environment
Our model shows the environment part of the city. There are three levels: the soil level, the large plant level, and the hanging basket level with small plants. This will all be in a glass dome, and since glass can be made on Mars and it has clay, all you would have to bring up is some soil and seeds.
How to Colonize Mars: 1. Put up dome. 2. Plant some arctic plants in it. 3. They give off oxygen and use carbon dioxide. 4. The oxygen makes an atmosphere and greenhouse effect. 5. Then, people move to Mars.
I really liked making the model. I learned about plants. I think we should have met less often and there should have been more teamwork.
By Laura M.
The Mars Rover
Model Created by Paul
Before we land on Mars, we will send a Mars Rover (MR) to Mars to study the surface, scenery and other topics like that. The MR will help us prepare everything we are going to need on Mars.
Wheels: The wheels are designed so they can grip the surface. The treads keep the MR going in most any condition. It is a two-wheel-drive or only the back two wheels move. Once the back wheels are moving, the front hits the ground, and because of the treads, it starts moving as well.
Camera: The camera will videotape everything the MR sees. It is located on the front of the Rover and is protected by a plastic shell. It can recharge its battery with its motor so it keeps going and going until it can start the tape over again.
Satellites: The two big yellow balls located on the Mars Rover's back are satellites. The one on top recieves beams from Earth. The one on the bottom sends the beams to Earth. As the camera is taping it is sending that tape to Earth so they can see it. When the tape runs out the programmers on Earth rewind the tape and start it all over. However, the scenes he is now taping are stored on NASA's computers.
Controls: The MR can either be stopped and not moving, driving forward, or going in reverse. The MR doesn't have a brain for itself. All of its movements are from programmers on Earth. They are the ones who tell it to go backwards if needed.
Armor: All of this material is extremely expensive so in order for it not to break, there is a plastic coloring covering all of the different parts. So in case there was an accident the material stays safe.
This Mars Rover will acknowledge us about Mars before we even land on it. The MR will make it safer and more enjoyable for people on Mars.
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We planned this model fully and thoroughly. It came out nice. It was worth the effort. |
This is our image of what the environment should be like on Mars. These are plants that can survive in Mars's rough soil and can grow close to each other. |
By: Laura M. and Paul D.