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The possibility, or rationality behind designing a space-colony ecosystem

Introduction

Since humans landed on the moon, the sky is no longer the limit. Scientists seek to explore different horizons, conquer, and inhabit new planets. In essence, humans have come a long way. From discovery of fire to possessing innovative technology, scientists proved that man is a unique being unlike other primates or animals. Against that backdrop, humans took the bold step and ventured into colonizing the outer space. Colonization of outer space awakens debates on the practicality, ethical aspect and whether the entire project is worth the time and effort even as earth struggles with global warming and depletion of natural resources. This paper will answer two questions posed by Frank Golley. First, the possibility, or rationality behind designing a space-colony ecosystem. Secondly, the necessity of designing a space-colony ecosystem. In addition, the main argument of the essay centers on colonization of Mars as step for the preservation of human species.

Environmental Ethics

The gradual progress of extraterrestrial ecosystems is an essential aspect in the exploration of space. Space does not support human life, in order for man to inhabit space; scientists have to come up with an ingenious way of designing and building ecological systems harboring conducive living conditions. Once scientists figure out a way of designing extraterrestrial system, 50% of the work is complete. This explains the reason why ecosystems are the main objectives in space exploration (Golley, 2019). In fact, the term ecosystem refers to natural systems made up of both living and non-living organisms. More so, the word ‘system’ points to various components integrating to form equilibria, influenced and sustained by numerous dynamics. From the 1950s, researchers carried out extensive studies, trying to figure out processes within ecosystems.

Environmentalists claim that ecosystems are hierarchical in nature. The planet earth is an ecosystem with an atmosphere, oceans, seas, the lithosphere, and biosphere. Earth’s ecosystem consists of various subsystems. Each system operates separately from the others and interesting enough, a single subsystem regarded as an ecosystem. Examples of subsystems include oceans and forests (Golley, 2019). Disintegrating earth ecosystems can go on and on until one reaches single leaves or swamps of water. In every single ecosystem, an organism converts sunlight energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis. On the other hand, an individual ecosystem has a decomposing element breaking down organic matter into smaller particles, which in turn facilitates recycling matter into different items. Within the ecosystem, one can recognize consumer segments, functioning as stability and growth agents. The characteristics of ecosystem and its components result to production, degradation, and equilibrium. In other words, production through photosynthesis, degradation through microorganisms brings about balance or equilibrium of an ecosystem, which in turn results to level of performance. Therefore survival in the space depends in designing an ecosystem with the three feature mentioned above.

It is vital to note that humans did not create the earth ecosystems. Yet, the inhabitants of earth depend on them for food. The challenge lies with the design; the practical and theoretical aspects of an extraterrestrial ecosystem require understanding the intertwining between living and non-living organisms. More so, dissecting an ecosystem into single subsystems ends up forming other ecosystems (Collinss, 2019). The basic unit of an ecosystem is rare or not under grasp of scientific knowledge. It is vital to note that a living system cannot function singly and needs the input of other nonliving components. The ability of bringing together all the aspects of an ecosystem is unconceivable. No living creature can exist outside its surrounding. Therefore, living organisms coexist with their surroundings. Hence, access humans out of their environment are unpractical.

Designing a space colony implies that scientists factoring in both the human and the ecosystem in which living creatures exists. Either the human can influence his surrounding or the environment can affect the human being (Collinss, 2019). Scientists have explored all terrestrial ecosystems on earth but the knowledge is vast, impeding insight. The information on the interdependent relationship between human being and their environment is intricate and no one can obtain all the skills needed to generate an exact support space ecosystem. In summary, earth ecosystems are vast and no one has complete information required for designing an extraterrestrial ecosystem. The only solution is to approach the subject experimentally through trial and error.

To emphasize further, Experimentation requires crafting model earth ecosystems for demonstration and support of the human colony (Collinss, 2019). Alternatively, scientists can remake an ecosystem of another planet to mirror the one on earth and then place a human being on it. The process of reforming another planet’s earth to match the one on earth is terraforming. Both of the methodologies mentioned above are sensible. However, under heavy scrutiny, their feasibility is stands on shaky ground. Furthermore, no person has entered another planet’s atmosphere.

Space colony

Space colony is a technological device that can move around the earth’s orbit. Scientists define a colony as anything with human inhabitants orbiting around the sun. The colony has a physio chemical structure, which supports human being’s life for months, or longer durations. Therefore, the self-sufficiency of a space ship colony enables life and other activities associated with survival or preservation of life. Factoring all situations or contexts, the object has to contain all the systems required for a human to live a comfortable life and even reproduce with minimal utilization of resources (Warmflash, 2019). Thus, the design of the ship has to cater to basic needs through negligible input of energy and resources. Successfully designing a colony spaceship with the specifics mentioned above is a gruesome task. Almost impossible but worth the try if the human race wants to inhabit another planet.

The United States and Russia often debate on the right design required for constructing a space colony. The discussion on the equilibrium between daily human needs and environmental conditions baffles scientists (Golley, 2019). An estimated two pounds oxygen needed, 2.2pounds carbon dioxide excluded on a daily basis, intakes of water after expulsion of carbon dioxide is 4-5 pounds and so on and so forth. The cause of disagreement lies in designing a system able to supply weights of oxygen needed in the colony, water, and absorption of carbon dioxide after expulsion. The first proposed method was coming up with a machine-driven system delivering basic needs to humans within the colony. Howard Odum suggested a technical solution would bring about an instinctive perspective on the engineer’s side and the suggestions dominated the airwaves for a long time. However, the mechanical approach needs assembly parts and energy in form of diesel or fuel to keep engines running and demonstrate that it is possible to keep humans alive in space. Thus, mechanical means are expensive although retaining the procedure at a considerable cost is necessary. More so, testing colonies on earth means that they depend on earth’s conditions to make the system operational.

In the 1960s, Engineers insisted on application of technical and physical chemical equipment. However, human beings need specific conditions to sustain their lives. The biological component supplies food, oxygen and configures natural processes. Safeguarding humans from space atmosphere, managing external biological resources, coordination of the colony’s surrounding, recreation and other processes need physical engineering procedures. The current technological expertise allow for making of a well-equipped facility. For example, scientists picture the possibility of recreating algae and fish relationship with human feces as nutrient source (Collinss, 2019). Buffering alterations in a closed system need physical and technical procedures to keep a steady atmospheric condition conducive for sustaining life. Therefore, an attempt to make a closed ecosystem is a viable option. Generally, a closed ecosystem model brings into perspective everything people take for granted in the real world such as rainfall, wind, and energy circulation.

It is vital to note that all scientific hypothesis mentioned above hinge on assumptions that might obstruct application of the colony design. First assumption is the assessment of ecosystems processes (Stoner, 2019). For example, arranging human needs in terms of the most important one assumes that indirectly factors would not influence vital elements. Secondly, a proper system needs to be at equilibrium over space and time. Therefore, in case of any deviation, anyone can detect the anomaly and rectify the problem before it gets out of hand.

Neither the ecologists nor the engineers took time to consider the human element of the ecosystem. In the quest to design a colony, humans are segregate features outside the main problem. No scientists factors in a human as a subsystem that needs to fit into the extraterrestrial ecosystems. Nevertheless, social specialists, psychologists and other professionals suggest that the human component of the exploration of colonization should be the main agenda. Social procedures often reveal interest in space exploration. The technological atmosphere seems to be the main concern for scientists who assume that a human is an already solved puzzle. Ecologists considered the current conditions on earth and concluded that colony ecosystems need to be spacious with a rich biological diversity to facilitate natural processes such as photosynthesis and recycling of material. The earth’s ecological system is sophisticated and an attempt to reincarnate the system as a colony is not clearly feasible. In summary, solving the design challenge depends the knowledge tabled on the system (Warmflash, 2019). Rather than come up with a complete system, scientists could work on a system adjustable with emergence on new information and systematically learn the respond. It is a hard task colonizing other planets due to the long distance, from the earth’s orbit to the target planet. Nevertheless, as scientists claim, experiments will reveal the how the colony will fare on another planet.

In short, Terraforming refers to the total restructuring of a planet’s environment by altering its energy levels and material making up the atmosphere. In my perspective, it is important to put in place measures that would prevent danger or loss of life. More over life on earth is exceptional and interactive enough, placing a man on another planet is tasking as the natural environment keeps on changing with the passing years (Stoner, 2019). The only way to know is to construct environments, which are continuous. The main reason for colonizing Mars is to exploit resources on the planet and expand new horizons.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Collinss Michael (2019) Mission to Mars

Golley Frank B (2019). Environmental Ethics and Extraterrestrial Ecosystem s

Stoner, lan (2019). Humans Should Not Colonize Mars

Warmflash David (2019). Forget Mars. Here's Where We Should Build Our First Off-World Colonies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1741 Words  6 Pages
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