Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to In 250 years, how big and powerful a magnetic field will we be able to build? n/t

Re: In 250 years, how big and powerful a magnetic field will we be able to build? n/t
ectoterrestrial — (archived)

It's fairly easy to imagine currently a superconducting ring either in orbit or around the planet that could produce a strong enough field in the spirit of a Clarke like orbital tower engineering project. Ignoing the more fundamental engineering problems, the problem is, with the amount of current flowing to produce an appropriately scaled Earth like dipole moment, if the superconduction is disturbed there is going to be a massive release of energy in what will be the largest back EMF to that point in human history. Think badda BOOM!

Heres why I don't think it would be a good idea; radiation belts. As of now, Mars has none like the Earth's Van Allen belts. Theres some interesting stuff happening with the ionisphere and the southern magnetic anomalies but nothing close to the scale we have on earth.

The only way to fly when we're all commuting to Mars in our Jetson style Cessna Star Falcon is to have some shielding on board wether it's magnetic, electric or material.

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