On a sunny day (Tue, 1 Nov 2011 12:04:00 +0000) it happened TheBeerjunkie
wrote in
:


Hello there,

I'm a student and I'm in my final year and I wish to do my essay about
space colonization.
My first topic is about the planets or planetary bodies that are not
suitable for this purpose. Such as planets or planetary bodies outside
of our solar system. As I understand it it is simply to far to get
within a lifetime, so that sugests we would have to have babies in order
to do that. But due to cosmic radiation, this presents a large amount of
difficulties. Sperm decrease, damage to egg cells etc.
Even though there are ways to protect ourselves from this radiation, it
is not enaugh to allow us to have babies in space. Even if a baby could
make it out of the womb we would still have problems protecting it from
this cosmic radiation. This and the lack of gravity make it impossible
to do so in space. But imagine, if we were able to create an atmosphere
on Mars or on any other planet, would THAT allow us to have children?
Since the atmosphere should filter a part of this radiation?

Greets!

If you can accelerate at a constant 1G,
and halfway turn around and de-accelerate at 1 G,
then most of the problems you state are solved.
That creates artificial gravity, and brings the time it takes to the next star withing a lifetime/
So, focus should be on propulsion, likely nuclear, but with the current state humanity is in
(NASA had already plans for a nuclear engine many many many years ago,
but it was abandoned 'too dangerous', so when ToysRus bought NASA
there was no longer hope for a US colonisation of planets.
Add some stupid concepts about light speed, and here we are, and will possibly stay.
The Chinese just launched a spacecraft to rendezvous with their orbiting space lab.
If things go the way they do now, the the Chinese will be first at mars,
and then it will truly be the red planet.
Later US astronuts, who will likely smash down with airbags, will have to pay landing rights
and will find a choice of the finest Chinese restaurants waiting for them.
Expensive too.