Nanobots on Mars

Beginning more than a hundred years ago, science fiction writers, early filmmakers, and, later, serious scientists explored the possibilities of human beings expanding beyond Earth to dwell in the Solar System.

Whether on the Moon, on Mars, in hollowed-out asteroids, or in constructed space stations, the dream of our species breaking free from this wet rock on which we evolved has been a source of fascination.

We're getting closer now to having the technological capability to make the attempt. Some would argue, in fact, that we could have had thriving colonies on the Moon for decades now, had the US and the USSR not cut back on their space programs in the 1970s.

But the Moon is one thing, and Mars is another. The Moon, obviously, is much closer and easier to reach. The problem is that it has no atmosphere, very little water ice (probably), and not much to offer in the way of quality of life.

Mars, by contrast, does have a thin atmosphere, apparently quite a bit of water ice, and possibly organic soil. It even has seasons. There's potential there to make another planet into something Earth-like, a place where humans can feel somewhat at home.

On the other hand, the big problem with Mars is that it is so far away. Even during its closest approach to Earth (opposition), which occurs about every two years, reaching Mars in a spacecraft takes at least six months. Such a voyage could be quite perilous for astronauts, being exposed to solar radiation, cosmic rays, meteors, and more. If something goes wrong, help is very, very far away.

So, maybe the answer is not to send astronauts first. Instead, send an army of machines specially designed to withstand the rigors that might disable humans. Indeed, some scientists propose sending hordes of insect-like robots to do the job:

Recent discoveries of water and Earth-like soil on Mars have set imaginations running wild that human beings may one day colonise the Red Planet. However, the first inhabitants might not be human in form at all, but rather swarms of tiny robots.

“Small robots that are able to work together could explore the planet. We now know there is water and dust so all they would need is some sort of glue to start building structures, such as homes for human scientists,” says Marc Szymanski, a robotics researcher at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

Szymanski is part of a team of European researchers developing tiny autonomous robots that can co-operate to perform different tasks, much like termites, ants or bees forage collaboratively for food, build nests and work together for the greater good of the colony.

Of course, for those of us keeping up with the rapid pace of research in advanced nanotechnology, the idea of building all those robots on Earth and then sending them all the way to Mars doesn't make much sense.

Why not just send a nanofactory to Mars and program it to make whatever machines are needed? Those machines could be small and cooperative -- ant-like -- or they could be larger -- tractor-like -- or some of each. And because the nanofactory would be general-purpose, it could be re-programmed from Earth to make whatever new designs might be desired, including more advanced generations of nanofactories.

It is possible that some unmanned construction missions to Mars might be attempted before nanofactories have been fully developed. In that case, perhaps a future version of RepRap might be of use, but we think that true detailed exploration of our Solar System and building of comfortable off-Earth communities for human beings will await the achievement of molecular manufacturing.

Mike Treder

Comments

[plaasjaapie]

"but we think that true detailed exploration of our Solar System and building of comfortable off-Earth communities for human beings will await the achievement of molecular manufacturing."

Which has been the "nanotech technology" crowd's refrain for the past decade. It runs, roughly, don't do anything. Someday soon, come the revolution, grey goo and nanotech is going to solve all our problems.

The early 20th century labour organiser, Joe Hill, wrote a song about this attitude, The Preacher and the Slave, back in 1911 or so. The chorus went like this...

You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky;
Work and pray, live on hay,
You'll get pie in the sky when you die.

The siren song of the nanotech twerps is immensely seductive. Just leave all the innovation to them, anything you do short of nanotech is of no value whatsoever, so why waste your time.

[Tom Craver]

RepRap (or Tommelise) are ready to go to Mars today (or even a few years from now?) and make copies of themselves with nothing more than the raw resources they'll find there? Not last I heard.

I suppose I'm missing something about RepRap - but what I've seen isn't anywhere near self-copying (plastic for extrusion, steel parts, precision motors, circuit boards, wires, computer, sensors, etc) - let alone self-assembling. Why not just make a cheap computer controlled milling machine (as some have) and get better results with stronger, cheaply available stock materials like wood - or plastic if you want to re-melt scrap to make more stock?

BTW - if someone were really looking to do something for the 3rd world, as is sometimes claimed for RepRap, they'd be smarter to just create methods and designs to use commonly available materials (including recyling trash) to make simple tools and useful products.

E.g. "Melting plastic trash to make new stuff - what's safe, what'll kill you" "Tough, water-proof bricks from plastic trash and mud" "A pretty-good hand-cranked fly-wheel lathe for milling wood and plastic" "safety goggles from a plastic water bottle" "Make a decent solar concentrating mirror from plastic trash, cardboard and shiny chip wrappers" "Solar smelting plastic, aluminum scrap or glass" "Lost wax casting with common clays and plastic trash".

[Nanoscience]

I'm actually letting you know that the Nanoscience students of Dakota County Technical College have a blog and they will post things about their program.

http://nanosciencetechnologydctc.blogspot.com/

If you are students planning to attend a 2 year degree you may want to visit our blog.

[Tom Craver]

Here's my preferred approach to making stuff on the moon and Mars, without relying on any futuristic technologies.