A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Astronomy and Astrophysics » Amateur Astronomy
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Could a human walk on Titan's surface?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 18th 05, 05:18 AM
RichA
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Could a human walk on Titan's surface?

Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?
-Rich
  #2  
Old January 18th 05, 05:51 AM
Szaki
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

-290F deg? Not very long, if Huygens survived only a few hours.
JS

"RichA" wrote in message
...
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?
-Rich



  #3  
Old January 18th 05, 09:56 AM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


RichA wrote:
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?
-Rich


that's a question for NASA space suit people!

my guess is that a person couldn't last long in a 'current' suit. the
extreme low temperatures would be one factor, the other more dramatic
ones being unpredictable surface density (seems the probe landed on a
crust over a slushier material) and whatever the atmosphere might do.

A suit could probably be designed with current technologies to do the
job though, it would be getting someone there over a 7 year period that
would be more difficult (as well as bringing the person back!)

  #4  
Old January 18th 05, 11:20 AM
Thierry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


wrote in message
oups.com...

RichA wrote:
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?


At -180°C, a few minutes maximum... then you froze and if you don't slip on
organic matter frozen you will be asphyxiated :-((

Thierry
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/titan-brumes.htm

-Rich


that's a question for NASA space suit people!

my guess is that a person couldn't last long in a 'current' suit. the
extreme low temperatures would be one factor, the other more dramatic
ones being unpredictable surface density (seems the probe landed on a
crust over a slushier material) and whatever the atmosphere might do.

A suit could probably be designed with current technologies to do the
job though, it would be getting someone there over a 7 year period that
would be more difficult (as well as bringing the person back!)



  #5  
Old January 18th 05, 01:40 PM
Algomeysa2
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Thierry" . wrote in message ...

wrote in message
oups.com...

RichA wrote:
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?


At -180°C, a few minutes maximum... then you froze and if you don't slip

on
organic matter frozen you will be asphyxiated :-((


well now, Moon suits must have been designed to work in -200 F degrees,
with probably some margin Just In Case, are these really going to be useless
on Titan?


  #6  
Old January 18th 05, 02:13 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Algomeysa2 wrote:
"Thierry" . wrote in message ...

wrote in message
oups.com...

RichA wrote:
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?


At -180=B0C, a few minutes maximum... then you froze and if you

don't slip
on
organic matter frozen you will be asphyxiated :-((


well now, Moon suits must have been designed to work in -200 F

degrees,
with probably some margin Just In Case, are these really going to be

useless
on Titan?


While it gets that cold in the shade on the Moon, the vast majority of
the moonwalkers time was spent in the sunlight, at closer to +250
degrees.

The suits were white to reflect most of the radiation, and the
internals included a "liquid cooled garment" to remove excess heat from
the astronauts.
Suits designed for Titan would need heat generators.

--=20
JJN

  #7  
Old January 18th 05, 02:43 PM
BllFs6
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

While it gets that cold in the shade on the Moon, the vast majority of
the moonwalkers time was spent in the sunlight, at closer to +250
degrees.

The suits were white to reflect most of the radiation, and the
internals included a "liquid cooled garment" to remove excess heat from
the astronauts.
Suits designed for Titan would need heat generators.

--=20
JJN


Also...being surrounded by a "cold" vacuum isnt nearly as bad as being
surrounded by a cold gas...

trying to keep warm in a vacuum vs a dense atmosphere is like trying to keep
warm in cold air vs cold water....

being in titans dense and chilly atmosphere would suck the heat out pretty
fast...but I would be surprised if decent insulation and a heat source couldnt
keep a titan vistor warm


take care

Blll
  #8  
Old January 18th 05, 03:20 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Algomeysa2 wrote:
"Thierry" . wrote in message ...

wrote in message
oups.com...

RichA wrote:
Given current spacesuit technology, how long
could a person survive on the surface
of that moon?


At -180°C, a few minutes maximum... then you froze and if you don't slip

on
organic matter frozen you will be asphyxiated :-((


well now, Moon suits must have been designed to work in -200 F degrees,
with probably some margin Just In Case, are these really going to be useless
on Titan?


The difference is that on the moon you are in
vacuum, heat exchanges only rely on radiation,
which is a very ineffective way of exchanging
energy. In that case this is a plus of course,
vacuum provides excellent thermal insulation. That
is far from being the case on Titan where heat
transfer will be dramatically accelerated by the
contact with the atmosphere. And the moon or space
suits at least will require far more power than
what's needed in vacuum.

-- francois meyer
http://dulle.free.fr/alidade/galerie.php?maxim=12
  #9  
Old January 18th 05, 03:24 PM
Michael Barlow
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"BllFs6" wrote in message
...
While it gets that cold in the shade on the Moon, the vast majority of
the moonwalkers time was spent in the sunlight, at closer to +250
degrees.

The suits were white to reflect most of the radiation, and the
internals included a "liquid cooled garment" to remove excess heat from
the astronauts.
Suits designed for Titan would need heat generators.

--=20
JJN


Also...being surrounded by a "cold" vacuum isnt nearly as bad as being
surrounded by a cold gas...

trying to keep warm in a vacuum vs a dense atmosphere is like trying to

keep
warm in cold air vs cold water....

being in titans dense and chilly atmosphere would suck the heat out pretty
fast...but I would be surprised if decent insulation and a heat source

couldnt
keep a titan vistor warm


take care

Blll


-Just an observation-

I brought and read many books to work all relating to the different
sciences of astronomy and physics and someone asked a question about space,
I don't recall the specific question but it mentioned the vacuum of space.
I stated as a matter of fact that he should be thinking the other way
around, Space is not a vacuum, planets and stars are just points that have
higher pressure then outer space. I'm positive that I'm right but yet I see
people here and other space related places that should know better
suggesting space is a vacuum. So, am I right and if so why do the people
that should know better don't know better? And, If I'm wrong, could someone
enlighten me why?
--
Michael A. Barlow



  #10  
Old January 18th 05, 03:39 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Michael Barlow wrote:
"BllFs6" wrote in message
...
While it gets that cold in the shade on the Moon, the vast majority of
the moonwalkers time was spent in the sunlight, at closer to +250
degrees.

The suits were white to reflect most of the radiation, and the
internals included a "liquid cooled garment" to remove excess heat from
the astronauts.
Suits designed for Titan would need heat generators.

--=20
JJN


Also...being surrounded by a "cold" vacuum isnt nearly as bad as being
surrounded by a cold gas...

trying to keep warm in a vacuum vs a dense atmosphere is like trying to

keep
warm in cold air vs cold water....

being in titans dense and chilly atmosphere would suck the heat out pretty
fast...but I would be surprised if decent insulation and a heat source

couldnt
keep a titan vistor warm


take care

Blll


-Just an observation-


I brought and read many books to work all relating to the different
sciences of astronomy and physics and someone asked a question about space,
I don't recall the specific question but it mentioned the vacuum of space.
I stated as a matter of fact that he should be thinking the other way
around, Space is not a vacuum, planets and stars are just points that have
higher pressure then outer space. I'm positive that I'm right but yet I see
people here and other space related places that should know better
suggesting space is a vacuum. So, am I right and if so why do the people
that should know better don't know better? And, If I'm wrong, could someone
enlighten me why?


It is all relative. And compared to the atmosphere of Titan,
interplanetary space definetely is a vacuum; while it is not
if compared to intersidereal space, which is not a vacuum if
compared to intergalactic space...

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...07/ai_20517887

-- francois meyer
http://dulle.free.fr/alidade/galerie.php?maxim=12
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
WORST CASE SCENARIO charles vind Misc 22 October 22nd 04 10:19 PM
GLOBAL EMERGENCY ON PLANET EARTH--GLOBAL HOLOCAUST charles vind Misc 8 October 14th 04 11:55 AM
Apollo Buzz alDredge Astronomy Misc 5 July 28th 04 10:05 AM
The Apollo Hoax FAQ darla Astronomy Misc 15 July 25th 04 02:57 PM
Breakthrough in Cosmology Kazmer Ujvarosy Space Shuttle 3 May 22nd 04 09:07 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:32 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.