The ethics of bearing and raising children in micro-gravity

One of the comments at the bottom is interesting too - that astronauts regularly spend the same length of time on the ISS as it takes to get to Mars - and they presumably have not had serious problems. The time on Mars with some gravity being theorised to settle things down again for the middle three years.
 
Montero said:
One of the comments at the bottom is interesting too - that astronauts regularly spend the same length of time on the ISS as it takes to get to Mars - and they presumably have not had serious problems. The time on Mars with some gravity being theorised to settle things down again for the middle three years.
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Hi, Montero.
ive read the twin study done on Scott and Mark Kelly and it reveals some pretty big changes in just one year, including damaged DNA telomeres. Since it looks like we’re gonna get lots more data, hopefully we can decide about raising kids on Mars (or NOT!) with a lot more data.
 
I have it on good authority that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids: in fact, it's cold as Hell. And there's nobody to raise them, if you did.
 
Copying another post into this thread because it's sort of related to the discussion here... In a very roundabout way since it's a Mars colonisation game.
The last couple of hours to get Surviving Mars for free from the Epic Store. Ends today at 3 pm GMT.
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Montero said:
The really important question though, is can cats be safely raised on Mars? They are after all one of the essentials of life.
:D
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next Big Question fer sher

I am interested in that moment when actual pets—not frogs and rodents, but cats n dogs—are brought on board. A dog was one of the first “travelers”, but once humans started launching themselves we seem to forget about our little buddies. It’s gonna change, but exactly how? Could be an interesting story. Who will campaign for the first feline or K-9 inclusion in a crew? Could it happen clandestinely? An astronaut with a mental health companion animal?
We all know it’s gonna happen cuz we’ve all seen Jonesy aboard the USCSS Nostromo. Where would Ripley have ended up without her cat?
 
Incidentally have you read Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut series? Not worrying about microgravity, but working towards colonisation in space. Interesting series. Quite different from what you've described of what you are planning.
 
"You kids have it easy! Back in my day, on Earth, we had walk to school! And let me tell you, the gravity would make it harder than anything you've ever done in your life here on the moon! Just be grateful for the sacrifices your parent made to get you here.....etc,.etc.
 
Perfect!
Two things to listen to:
Four Yorkshiremen, Monty Python
and
When I Was Your Age, Weird Al
Same idea
both super-funny
 
Montero said:
One of the comments at the bottom is interesting too - that astronauts regularly spend the same length of time on the ISS as it takes to get to Mars - and they presumably have not had serious problems. The time on Mars with some gravity being theorised to settle things down again for the middle three years.
Click to expand...

I think this is going to end coming down to trying it out for real. There will no doubt be certain known precautions that can be taken, but until a facility is constructed and landed on Mars, and a team of scientists and engineers has been living and working there for a few years, we won't know where the real dangers will lurk.

The fact that we are still not 100% certain that we can even land a robot on Mars and leave it intact suggest that we are quite some years away from any kind of official base being built there. I would think that we would be better building one first on the Moon and see how that goes before we start trialling on other planets.

Unfortunately I can see there being casualties in the quest to provide some kind of habitat on Mars , and NASA and other space agencies will have to decide on what will be 'acceptable' losses of life. Taking off, flying to, landing on and then living on Mars is fraught with many dangers and hazards. It's inconceivable to think that mistakes won't be made or incidents occur that put these space-farers in peril, and too far away to be rescued.

What will be interesting is if some independent/commercial group decide to bypass NASA and other space agencies and try to colonise Mars or the Moon themselves. Would they be prevented from doing so?
 
Huh. I don't actually know what the legal status would be about preventing private flights and who has a legal right to control space, if anyone. There doesn't seem to be much limitation on stuffing satellites up into Earth orbit. Colonisation of other planets by non-governments hasn't really come up until recently, because for a long time only governments could afford the bill. The way Antartica is handled might be a model to work from. My vague understanding is that it is being held in common and protected.
 
Montero said:
Colonisation of other planets by non-governments hasn't really come up until recently, because for a long time only governments could afford the bill.
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Ahh yes, back when companies actually paid their taxes :)

Montero said:
The way Antartica is handled might be a model to work from. My vague understanding is that it is being held in common and protected.
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My vague understanding is a petty bickering match where nobody has enough to gain by taking it any further...
 
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