Colonizing the Solar System, Part 1: Colonizing the Inner Solar System

In this epic, 2-part episode, we team up with Isaac Arthur to imagine how humans will colonize the inner Solar System, becoming a true spacefaring civilization.
Here's Part II
• Colonizing the Solar S...
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Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / [e-mail]
Karla Thompson - @karlaii
Chad Weber - [e-mail]
Science fiction has told us again and again, we belong out there, among the stars. But before we can build that vast galactic empire, we’ve got to learn how to just survive in space.
Fortunately, we happen to live in a Solar System with many worlds, large and small that we can use to become a spacefaring civilization.
This is half of an epic two-part episode that I’m doing with Isaac Arthur, who runs an amazing channel all about futurism, often about the exploration and colonization of space. Make sure you subscribe to his channel.
This episode is about colonizing the inner Solar System, from tiny Mercury, the smallest planet, out to Mars, the focus of so much attention by Elon Musk and SpaceX.
In the other episode, Isaac will talk about what it’ll take to colonize the outer Solar System, and harness its icy riches.
You can watch these episodes in either order, just watch them both.
At the time of this video, humanity’s colonization efforts of the Solar System are purely on Earth. We’ve exploited every part of the planet, from the South Pole to the North, from huge continents to the smallest islands. There are few places we haven’t fully colonized yet, and we’ll get to that.
But when it comes to space, we’ve only taken the shortest, most tentative steps. There have been a few temporarily inhabited space stations, like Mir, Skylab and the Chinese Tiangong Stations.
Our first and only true colonization of space is the International Space Station, built in collaboration with NASA, ESA, the Russian Space Agency and other countries. It has been permanently inhabited since November 2nd, 2000.
Needless to say, we’ve got our work cut out for us.
Before we talk about the places and ways humans could colonize the rest of the Solar System, it’s important to talk about what it takes to get from place to place.
Just to get from the surface of Earth into orbit around our planet, you need to be going about 10 km/s sideways. This is orbit, and the only way we can do it today is with rockets. Once you’ve gotten into Low Earth Orbit, or LEO, you can use more propellant to get to other worlds.
If you want to travel to Mars, you’ll need an additional 3.6 km/s in velocity to escape Earth gravity and travel to the Red Planet. If you want to go to Mercury, you’ll need another 5.5 km/s.
And if you wanted to escape the Solar System entirely, you’d need another 8.8 km/s. We’re always going to want a bigger rocket.
The most efficient way to transfer from world to world is via the Hohmann Transfer. This is where you raise your orbit and drift out until you cross paths with your destination. Then you need to slow down, somehow, to go into orbit.
One of our primary goals of exploring and colonizing the Solar System will be to gather together the resources that will make future colonization and travel easier. We need water for drinking, and to split it apart for oxygen to breathe. We can also turn this water into rocket fuel. Unfortunately, in the inner Solar System, water is a tough resource to get and will be highly valued.
We need solid ground. To build our bases, to mine our resources, to grow our food, and to protect us from the dangers of space radiation. The more gravity we can get the better, since low gravity softens our bones, weakens our muscles, and harms us in ways we don’t fully understand.
Each world and place we colonize will have advantages and disadvantages. Let’s be honest, Earth is the best place in the Solar System, it’s got everything we could ever want and need. Everywhere else is going to be brutally difficult to colonize and make self-sustaining.
We do have one huge advantage, though. Earth is still here, we can return whenever we like. The discoveries made on our home planet will continue to be useful to humanity in space through communications, and even 3D printing. Once manufacturing is sophisticated enough, a discovery made on one world could be mass produced half a solar system away with the right raw ingredients.
We will learn how to make what we need, wherever we are, and how to transport it from place to place, just like we’ve always done.

[@MitchCrane]

So if I've learned anything from this video, I think it's that Earth is the best planet for building roller coasters.

[@frasercain]

And so many other things.

[@cluckeryduckery261]

I dunno man... think of the possibilities. A 16 kilometer high first hill on the moon?

[@t.3465]

@@cluckeryduckery261 or a 16 mile high hill on Jupiter, which would be crazy scary with 2G of gravity

[@paullilly7921]

@@t.3465 catch a riiiiiidddee!!!

[@frasercain]

Yes, a deer actually wandered through the shot at the end of the episode. He was about 15 meters away from me.

[@MitchCrane]

That probably wouldn't have happened on Venus. This really is the best planet.

[@frasercain]

Mitch Crane Take that Venus

[@jabronjunklove760]

Fraser, how much did it cost you for that deer cameo? And how did you lure him away from that Animal Planet money?

[@frasercain]

The Planet Earth II team was just over my shoulder, doing their documentary.

[@Fabi33677]

it made this vid really magical :D

[@medviation]

While Musk is busy with his Mars colony project, will someone do the same for Venus? I want to see balloon cities there.

[@frasercain]

That would be pretty cool, although, going into gravity wells is tough if you ever want to get out again.

[@skipperofschool8325]

Jeff Bezos should do Venus

[@tonyvaz2527]

100% agree and is wayy yyy easier to terraform too!

[@NoMustang273]

@@tonyvaz2527 How is it easier to terraform? You'd have to change the entire atmosphere and Venus has a very thick, toxic atmosphere.

[@tonyvaz2527]

@@NoMustang273 yes you right but it still will be a lot easier I believe to terraform Venus instead of Mars, first the atmosphere is thicker, that'll help with the radiation 2)gravity is. 9 almost like earth which is healthier than. 04 in Mars 3)we can get oxygen from the co2 4)closer from the sun for energy and also to travel back and forth from earth for materials, we first build a cloud city, then cover the sun (when we get the technology) and start cooling the planet, and build a magnetic field. It will take a couple of centuries,Dont get me wrong, but It will be doable and less complicated than Mars!

[@nabilchaouli3489]

Isaac the great sent me, u guys are doing work that inspire people, the work that discovery channel should be doing but instead we get naked & afraid. I can't emphasize enough on how important u guys work is for people who refuse to be dumb down.

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot. If you like this kind of thing, you might enjoy the Astronomy Cast podcast I've been doing for 10 years with Dr. Pamela Gay: www.astronomycast.com

[@Tonyv1951]

'Dumb down'? Did you mean dumbed down? Even that term is slang.

[@rebelScience]

This is my dream actually. I am a long-time programming, getting into robotics and automation for space colonization. Working on a automated robotics for The Moon base.

[@frasercain]

Fantastic, good luck with your career.

[@55cencrie93]

Good luck hope you can see something made by you on the moon on the news an go “oh shit I made that”

[@ivx8345]

Unfortunally I myself lack the brains to contribute to this but I support space colonization fully! I'm counting on people like you!!

[@warpdrive9229]

keep coding then!! good luck!!

[@yamamasfishytaco9450]

Same here. Hit me up if you ever want to bounce ideas around

[@samwoodfield7332]

YES YES YES ISSAC ARTHUR AND FRAISER MY LIFE IS COMPLETE

[@francisdillinger5051]

Right? I noticed that too. Fraiser should check out Isaac's video.

[@frasercain]

Isaac and I worked on these videos together. I tackled the inner Solar System and he did the outer.

[@francisdillinger5051]

Fraser Cain I thought it was just a coincidence! That's awesome! 😁

[@isaacarthurSFIA]

:) No we've been working on this one together for a couple weeks, it was a ton of fun.

[@francisdillinger5051]

Isaac Arthur A match made in the heavens, imho.

[@fett716]

ISAAC ARTHUR?!? i love his channel

[@Barnardrab]

Me too.

[@frasercain]

Me too, which was why we did it. :-)

[@cluckeryduckery261]

gotta love Isaac. Dude literally made me believe that we can move, and even steer, galaxies. May take several million years, but he explains in rather simple terms how it's doable.

[@frasercain]

Yup, hes an amazing guy to work with. Really inspirational.

[@krissisk4163]

Fraser Cain and Isaac Arthur collabing? This is a good day. A very good day.

[@frasercain]

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it.

[@JugheadJones03]

18:59 An interested learner in the back! Great vid. :)

[@billete37]

Jughead Jones they want to get away from us

[@singular123er]

Erick Rosa they can go to uranus:)

[@EclipseClemens]

"Subliminal branding system" I laughed XD

[@frasercain]

Isaac snuck that in.

[@wolf1066]

@@frasercain Now, why am I not surprised?

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

A collaboration between Fraser and Isaac is awesome because they are two great science KZbinrs! 😀 Congratulations for the cool video, Fraser! It's full of great info and I can tell you put a lot of work into it! 👍

[@frasercain]

Yeah, it was a monster to do. :-)

[@mykobe981]

Great video, Frasier! Thanks for promoting Isaac Arthur's channel! =)

[@frasercain]

And thanks to Isaac for promoting me. :-)

[@cidshroom]

Couldn't agree more! I just found a new channel to watch, and couldn't be happier!

[@ivx8345]

@@cidshroom likewise I found out about Fraser's channel through this collaboration - also tooo happy with that, Fraser's channel ROCKS :-)

[@4Gamers00]

Thank you so much for actually using the metric system!

[@frasercain]

No problem, I was raised on it as a Canadian.

[@superpoliticalguy8276]

Fraser Cain I love your video and I get that it’s a smart idea to use the metric system so I’m not criticizing you, but my American brain understands none of it

[@pedromarettibrant8013]

Fraser, I've just discovered your channel and website and I am SO amazed by it so far! Absolutely inspiring. Keep up the awesome work!

[@frasercain]

Thanks! Lots of videos to catch up on. :-)

[@antonnym214]

As far as exploring Earth: we haven't been outside the ice ring to see what's down past the so-called south pole. I'm teasing just a little. Great vid!

[@frasercain]

Thanks for watching!

[@DTL0VER]

Two of my favourite people on you tube. Fantastic programming and happy to be a Patreon subscriber 😊👍🏻

[@frasercain]

Thanks, did you see that we're doing another collaboration and need your ideas?

[@alleycat2759]

Fraser Cain, as i listened to this video, there was a couple occasions when I found myself thinking, "Yes, you are right ... However ..." As the formulation of the thought, about what you were missing, was beginning to grow, you were saying what I thought you had missed. The one, for sure, I thought you would miss was the one about eventually lowering the temperature of Venus. But, no... you nailed that one too! Of this entire video, the only thing I can think, which you did not mention, was one of the known side-effects of extended long term exposure to a low gravity environment: Accelerated Osteoporosis. As the video went on, my thoughts turned away from a curiosity of what you may or may not miss to, "Holy shit... do we know each other? Have we met before?" Beyond all this, I have to say, "A HUGE thumbs up. You did a great job. You have also earned yourself a new subscriber." By the way, I almost never subscribe to anyone. Kudos on an amazingly accurate video.

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot! I hope you went over and watched Isaac Arthur's videos too. He's really great.

[@alleycat2759]

Yes, I did watch his, as well. It was a good watch. To be honest, I preferred your presentation better.

[@JamesHaney]

Excellent presentation, Fraser! Now on to Part II...

[@frasercain]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. :-)

[@dum_tard5528]

Space exploration and colonization is STUPID cool

[@treefarm3288]

This is quite comprehensive--you covered all the bases. I was a member of the L5 society years ago. They also proposed the O'Neill mass driver to collect rock from the Moon and later asteroids and sling it to the space colony construction site (using just solar power) and also to power freight transporters. I believe it would save a lot of energy. Has it been discarded since?

[@frasercain]

I mentioned that briefly in the video, that we could use mass drivers to hurl material into space and change their orbits into something safer.

[@PedroMiranda]

Loved the collaboration between you guys! 👊🏻👊🏻👌🏻🙌🏻 Nice work! Btw, this is your best episode so far Fraser Cain! 😎👍🏻

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot, it was great to work with Isaac.

[@Draktand01]

Actually, the mushroom habitats seem like a pretty great idea for the moon and mars too! Well, exept for the roots.

[@isaacarthurSFIA]

Yeah in that context if you included them they'd jsut be for more mundane things like keeping it form tipping over and maybe helping with geothermal heating or cooling. :)

[@shockslice7632]

This was ridiculously interesting. I really like how every single colonisation strategy and location is discussed.

[@vincentsvirtues4172]

I hear so many people arguing "we should stop focusing on space travel and work on the problems we have here on earth" and you nailed it when you said "why pollute our atmospheres and rivers when there's so much space in space?"

[@Mayordomo32]

Congrats on 100k subs. Glad to see a quality KZbinr getting recognition

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot, here's to the next 100K

[@FM-nm4ng]

Quick question: You mention that Venus has over 90 atmospheres of pressure compared to Earth which causes the global temperature to be 462 centigrade. If you could remove most of that carbon dioxide (along with the sulfuric acid) so Venus would have 1 atmosphere of pressure, would the global temperature still be inhospitable due to the planet's distance from the sun?

[@frasercain]

It would still be hotter, but if you thinned out the atmosphere, or put reflective materials into it, you could engineer it to a reasonable temperature.

[@firehazzard8497]

It'd be more of a tropical world.

[@BensLab]

great collaboration, and a great video fraser. Finding new fans this way is a fantastic idea and a good day for science communication.

[@frasercain]

Thanks, it was a lot of fun working with Isaac.

[@GFMkidsComedy]

Excellent video. Very much appreciated.

[@stilnessspeaks8104]

LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!!!!!! MORE REGULAR UPLOADS PLEASEEEE!!

[@frasercain]

Thanks! We're doing 4 a week now, plus Astronomy Cast. I'm videoing as fast as I can. :-)

[@Inertia888]

something about space colonies seems natural to me. I get a feeling of comfort from the idea.

[@theoneechanman]

Sciece Deer

[@isaacarthurSFIA]

That was funny as heck.

[@Bulbashkin]

you think deers don't wanna go to mars?! )

[@dreamyrhodes]

oh deer

[@jermaineransom4250]

Awesomely awesome awesomeness. Great episode and fun to watch! Thanks!

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot!

[@act4306]

I GOT here from Isaac arthur's channel! cheers mate. Liked, subbed.

[@frasercain]

Thanks! Welcome aboard.

[@pasozytspoleczny]

My two favourite youtubers :D thank you!

[@silasg9869]

Fantastic video! I felt this Video had the value of a good old fashioned book but in a 2016 format. Visualizations at it´s finest. I bet the working title was: "A Hitchhikers Guide To The Inner Solar System" :D You're doing a great job man!

[@frasercain]

Hah, sounds good. :-)

[@ChrisBrengel]

"Subliminal Branding System" LOL! It's a little hard to see in the glaring sunlight, but I think those two logos look familiar...

[@alitahir4147]

Awesome and very educational video Fraser.

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot!

[@davecarsley8773]

Very nice choice to link up with Mr. Arthur; my two main KZbin space guys!!

[@gpond7]

came over from Isaac Arthur's channel, great video, earned yourself another subscriber :)

[@frasercain]

Thanks, I'm a huge fan of Isaac's too. It was a total honour to work with him.

[@Filmwing]

Thanks!

[@Ryan-sn7fq]

I saw an Isaac Arthur in my sub feed and was excited, but when I saw Fraser Cain I was happier. Then I saw it was a collaboration, it's so good

[@frasercain]

I hope you enjoy, I'm sure we'll do another collaboration in the future.

[@SPACETVnet]

Great to see FC and IA working together. More please!

[@frasercain]

I'm sure we'll cross paths again.

[@scunge2667]

Amazing video!

[@jonathanhensley6141]

Love the idea of colonizing the solar system and how you show that future is bright

[@frasercain]

Yeah, it's going to get pretty exciting in the future.

[@jonathanhensley6141]

@@frasercain always said I was born in wrong time period and wish more science fiction shows would depict this rather than the usual trope

[@Syogren]

You may need to adjust the orbits of Phobos and Deimos before setting up colonies there. Phobos is currently on a crash course with Mars, and Deimos is gonna fly off at some point. Maybe attach a rocket or five hundred to them to adjust their orbits and keep them in place?

[@frasercain]

Yeah, you'll want to raise Phobos to a geostationary orbit, otherwise, you've only got about 50 million years to have your colony there.

[@frankfranksen204]

great video, great channel!

[@ryananderson8817]

did you say "thrust me?" lol

[@gammaechofoundationproductions]

Another excellent episode, Fraser! Keep them coming! :)

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot!

[@SPACETVnet]

One of the best videos of 2016!

[@pfhoreigner]

I found Isaac Arthur's channel last week, so now I've found you. (Cue Twilight Zone music) "Doo Doo Doo Doo! Doo Doo Doo Doo!" Both of you are two of my newest Favorite channels. :-)

[@frasercain]

Thanks a lot, we'll be having another collaboration soon. :-)

[@SwissMilk0]

thank you isaac for helping me find yet another amazing channel and thank you to fraser cain (amazing channel)

[@frasercain]

Thanks, there are a bunch of great channels out there.

[@SwissMilk0]

Fraser Cain hey would you mind listing a few, the best ones are hidden deep under the mountains of narcissistic sociopaths :/

[@StormiidaeBlogspot]

Thanks for turning me on to Isaac Arthur, what an amazing channel. An excellent companion channel to your own!

[@frasercain]

Yup, he's a superstar. I just wish I would watch more of his videos without getting influenced. :-)

[@dnrob7]

Space elevator on the moon? One rotation per 27 days, that's one hell of a stationary orbit.

[@frasercain]

You would need to extend the elevator to the Earth/Moon Lagrange point and then counterbalance it.

[@dnrob7]

Aah nice one^ I probably would have never even thought of that.

[@kennethirgendwas4616]

Fraser Cain that is a nice idea

[@sumreensultana1860]

@@frasercain That's one long Elevator

[@DakkogiRauru23]

Giving me all sorts of sci fi ideas. Thank you so much!

[@frasercain]

That's my job. :-)

[@DakkogiRauru23]

Fraser Cain might you have any info on how large-scale interstellar traffic networks would be like? I have some ideas, but I'm interested in what you think of space highways, spaceports, surface-to-orbit traffic and the like.

[@ojnord]

The only caveat: as long as the cost of a resource is lower on earth than somewhere else, we are not going to exploit it but here. Basic economics. But it is good to have the options open! Thanks for another good contribution to living science!

[@dalriada842]

+Romano Coombs This "new society" would quickly become a totalitarian boot stamping on people's faces forever! We'd never get off of Earth in such a society, because it would dilute the control of those in charge. Haven't you noticed that politics attracts sociopathic, control-freak scoundrels?

[@downsidebrian]

More expensive sources of a resource still get exploited due to various reasons. Look at organic food, recycled paper, and fracking. They're economically viable despite being more expensive than other sources of the exact same resources. Various economic forces could make space colonization viable, particularly if we figure out fusion.

[@cognophile]

Depending on the cost model, the eventual cost of not going to space could exceed the cost of going there. Once there, resources already in space may be more accessible than those located on earth.

[@billete37]

realrunner2000 yes in theory they are much cheaper but like you said they are not widely used

[@stewiescheenen8753]

awesome! i think you should make a tv series about this with much more detail

[@frasercain]

That's sort of what we're doing, here on KZbin. If we get more subscribers, more budgets, we can definitely do a more indepth series in the future.

[@wolf1066]

I've been binge-watching Isaac's channel. This collaboration between the two of you brought me here. Sub'd.

[@frasercain]

Thanks, welcome aboard. And all hail Isaac!

[@wolf1066]

@@frasercain Cheers. Looking forward to watching other videos of yours, too.

[@mgpmisterk2322]

thank you for promoting isaac arthur, he deserves the attention

[@fett716]

Crux Of Crota glad i never got you in year 1, spared me the disappointment that is felt when using the nechrochasm. also, yea he definitely deserves the attention.

[@10aDowningStreet]

Brilliant video! Although I have to say the deer was obviously a man in a deer suit.

[@frasercain]

Thanks! I can't believe you were able to see through the facade.

[@gm4984]

I just found this channel and Ialready like it !

[@chrisschembari2486]

15:45 Future colonists at a lunar pub. One of them starts talking dreamily about some subject, and another at the table smiles and throws some shade: "Sounds like someone's got moon dust in their eyes."

[@Nilguiri]

18:26 A Martian fossil? OK.

[@frasercain]

We wish. I'm actually talking about the search for life on Mars next episode.

[@Nilguiri]

Fraser Cain Nice, I'll look forward to that.

[@johndifrancisco3642]

William H. Harrison, Until we're not. And I'm not so sure of that in the first place.

[@pauldamse253]

An allien fossil of any kind would not destroy our concept of Human Supremacy, that concept is held by stupid people that will be unimpressed by the discovery. Also don't be so sure on the fermi paradox, it's pessimistic to think we will destroy ourselves, and evidence of extraterran life would not shock us into global unity. Altough I also think that some kind of Global Unity is desirable most experts in politics and sociology stress the ideea that its impossible or atleast unfeasable. And UFO circles don't push the ideea of probing planets in search of alien life, UFO circles are crackheads that mistake sleep paralysys for aliens. There are no aliens visiting earth in the present, nor do we have any evidence for them doing it in the past, nor will they probably do it anytime soon given the fact that we've so far seen none.

[@paulvenneman7539]

closed eyes make it hard to see just like a closed mind makes it hard to think ...

[@vincentcleaver1925]

I can't get enough of you and the deer!

[@donperegrine922]

I am a Isaac Arthur fan, I like your style a lot!

[@frasercain]

Thanks, it was a total honor to work with Isaac on this collaboration.

[@georgenelson9211]

Fraser, I am sure you will agree with me that The Moon should be our 1st Destination. Its the best possible place for colonization to begin. Mars is sexier, but the moon makes more sense.

[@frasercain]

I personally think the Moon is a better target. In fact, I think orbital rotating colonies are the best first targets, and then maybe nearby asteroids.

[@georgenelson9211]

I also agree with that. Moon, orbital colonies, asteroids. Then Mars.

[@0016JB]

I really like this video (and also the part 2) A lot of basic information about the Solar System. Its giving me a much better foundation. To bad I didn't know this stuff back when I gave my talk on Venus (in the 6th grade) to many years ago to count. Thanks much

[@frasercain]

Thanks for watching. Isaac's videos are great. :-)

[@robm4134]

Awesome summary Fraser, great work as always. Question: I know you have covered radiation levels before, however perhaps one episode you could do a full breakdown on what levels we would be exposed to in colonizing Mars, Venus AND how much of that we could realistically shield via spacecraft shielding, water reserves, magnetically? As an alternative to living underground could we generate a localized magnetosphere on Mars to protect a colony? Thanks!

[@frasercain]

Yup, something like this is in the works. Another collaboration, actually.

[@grooom21]

great channel congrats

[@MisterTutor2010]

Colonize the Moon? Well The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress :)

[@frasercain]

The Moon sure is.

[@ChrisBrengel]

Great book!

[@dhrubaghy1]

GREAT INSPIRING VIDEO

[@ollieastro3143]

Awesome!

[@frasercain]

Thanks!

[@dezzodarling]

You didn't mention the Lagrange Points as suitable parking regions ? I recall reading an Arthur C. Clark article on suitable places for parking satellites and space stations.

[@frasercain]

The L4/L5 make idea parking locations and would serve as fuel depots and resupply stations across the Solar System.

[@J7Handle]

You said that it would require very little energy for a Venus colony to stay on the day side, but that doesn't make sense, because high altitude jetstreams on Venus have several hundred mph wind speeds. If anything, it would be easier to just go with the flow and experience 100 hr days, or however long it would take at an altitude of 50 km to circle the planet.

[@j.jasonwentworth723]

The Mercury settlement could be called 'Shroom City. :-)

[@sumreensultana1860]

Hey let's go on a vacation Where To 'Shroom City' What

[@EASYTIGER10]

So in a floating Venus colony you could actually live inside the "balloon" filled with a normal nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere?

[@frasercain]

Yup, your living space is the lifting gas.

[@sumreensultana1860]

@@frasercain huh would a human in a space suit fly on Venus without any power

[@jonowack]

My two favourite podcasts. (Sorry, Ask a Spaceman). 😉

[@frasercain]

We'll be doing more collaborations with Paul Sutter shortly, so stay tuned.

[@jw-pc7920]

I once read a SciFi-book in which miners on Mercury where living on gaint walking cities: those cities were walking with the same speed the planet rotates around its own axis, on the edge between day and night, in order to keep the temperature endurable (not too hot, nor too cold): in those cities the sun was always just about to rise.

[@Jenab7]

2:45. If your interplanetary trip is outbound from the sun, you'd need to speed up to match velocity with your destination planet.

[@jamesrodgers5089]

Hi Frazier! Really enjoyed your and Arthur's 2 part Type II Civ videos! Creating planet wide magnetic fields is something I've strangely wondered a lot about and rarely heard addressed in general documentaries. I assume the major restriction to a team of satellites creating an artificial field would be an issue of power....but how would the mechanics of that work? How many satellites would be required to guard an object say.....the size of Mars? Would the power needed be theoretically possible? Would they just put out a dipole field that would work in tandem with each other to form one field or would multiple small fields be needed to form a magnetic bubble wrap? So glad we don't have to resurface Mars by crashing Mercury into it to get things up and running again! Thanks😉

[@piehamcake1]

I like the idea of using an asteroid as a skeleton to build a space station around it

[@frasercain]

Yeah, asteroids will be very useful for us.

[@zapfanzapfan]

I like this longer format. We'll see if the Hermians turn out like they did in Rendezvous with Rama :-) Also, that deer was challenging you, it stomped it's hoof on the ground. Do you have someone behind the camera that can warn you if nature is getting aggressive?

[@frasercain]

My wife was operating the camera, and she didn't think it was being aggressive. The deer are everywhere here and are utterly fearless of humans.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Fraser Cain It was flirting with her and challenging you ;-) The deer here run away if you move an inch but then most of the fall is hunting season so there might be a good reason for that.

[@UrbanPanic]

On Mercury, one step after colonizing the poles may be mobile colonies that stay near the solar terminators. This would allow for a more stable temperature between the extremes of day and night, while still allowing solar panels (possibly elevated on masts) to gather power at all times. Due to the small size of the planet and the long days, at the equator a vehicle at the equator would only have to maintain about 2.25 miles per hour (3.63 km/hr) to stay in twilight. It seems it would be fairly realistic to design vehicles for high reliability at such a slow pace, and in the event of breakdown it could become almost trivial to mount some form of rescue between the other mobile colonies or underground settlements. Maintaining a brisk walking pace would be enough to keep one out of direct sunlight or frigid nighttime at the equator, and a fraction of that would keep a person closer to the poles at comfortable temperatures until help arrives. I'm not saying that people would need to physically walk in spacesuits to stay alive, but lifeboat type escape vehicles would not have to be built for anything remotely close to high speeds. I don't foresee this moving ring of colonies functioning as permanent outposts so much as bases for research, trade, and gathering resources (the regolith like surface could provide a wealth of readily available materials for supplying, expanding, and maintaining the stationary colonies.) As far as maintaining "gravity" I never thought it would be particularly efficient to rotate an entire space station, especially during longer transports such as interstellar travel. I would like to see research on the feasibility and efficacy of rotating sleeping and exercise pods reminiscent of the Graviton rides often found at fairs and festivals. If the ~8hrs of simulated gravity turns out to be enough to maintain health, it just seems like it would be logistically and technologically simpler than having a large spinning torus.

[@frasercain]

I think I remember some kind of science fiction story with giant moving cities keeping at the planet's terminator.

[@UrbanPanic]

A little google-fu shows that Kim Stanley Robinson wrote about it, of course calling the city "Terminus." Oddly enough I just found out that was the original name of Atlanta, Ga as it was built around the terminal station of the Western and Atlantic railroad.

[@zoobie2000]

Born too soon, born too late. But every time I look up to that lovely moon it reminds me of you.

[@General12th]

As Isaac notes in a future video, colonizing a world doesn't necessarily mean settling it with humans. Mercury can be a titan of _automated_ industry with just a skeleton crew overseeing it all from orbit.

[@frasercain]

We might do that across the entire Solar System. Why live out there, just let the robots get us all the cool stuff and bring it back here.

[@General12th]

We can increase our numbers by constructing rotating habitats across the system. We can still have a population so large we need exponential notation to describe it -- but we don't need to try to cram those people on dead worlds like Mercury. Better to deconstruct Mercury and use it elsewhere.

[@frasercain]

Hah, yep, let's dismantle Mercury. :-)

[@w33leeg23]

I personally think the best idea is to stick to artificial space colonies as opposed to planetary bases; artificial gravity, radiation protection etc., with heavy industry moved off Earth and with large ships/stations being used as exploration vessels with the crews operating teleoperated robots to explore the surfaces and subsurface oceans of planets and moons, much like ROVs have largely replaced manned submersibles today, with the latter only being used on rare occasions when absolutely needed (much like a planetary base or "boots on the ground" approach would still be an option if needed). Just my two cents, can imagine a research vessel or even a space cruise ship of the future taking scientists or tourists on a flyby of Europa (hopefully a course that would minimize radiation exposure) and somehow using an ROV to give the people on board a view of the subsurface ocean underneath, or orbiting Titan and using ROVs, teleoperated boats and rovers to explore the methane lakes and shorelines. Would be difficult things to make happen, but would be incredible.

[@frasercain]

I tend to agree with you. We really need to conquer orbital colonies.

[@w33leeg23]

Yeah, I also feel like that approach would circumvent a lot of the problems associated with planetary colonization: we expend enough energy trying to escape our own gravity well so it seems fairly pointless to just head straight into another one if it isn't absolutely necessary. Also planetary protection for places like Mars and Europa, hence the telerobotics that would allow people to explore those places in near-real-time from orbit but can be cleaned of any microbes that could harm anything that lives there, unlike boots-on-the-ground human explorers where that isn't really possible. That sort of telerobotic approach opens up pretty much anywhere to near-real-time human exploration, and is only really dependent on the designs of the robots used. I think it's pretty exciting, you should look up a concept for exploring Mars called "Mars Base Camp" which is pretty much a possible plan for the first manned mission to Mars, that would make use of telerobotics. Also thanks for the reply.

[@junwhang6293]

Totally agree. Also, one of the key technology for establishing deep space colony is creating a self sustaining eco system. Once this is mastered, mankind can create better habitat for human beings than is presently possible on earth, and ensure long term survival of human species as technological beings by allowing access to vast resources of solar system. Even if Musk's vision of colony on Mars were to come true, if Earth is destroyed, Martian colonists could easily become trapped on Mars again for lack of resource, once again creating single planet species dilemma.

[@everettwalker9141]

Every thing you say is wishfull science fiction. Elon musk cant even stick heat tiles on a grain elevator and make them stay. Nasa is a big joke. Supposedly they went to the moon but when asked about the technology they used they said they lost it!!!! The greatest accomplishment of mankind and they lost it!!!! Since then they have done nothing but grow lettuce in low earth orbit for 50 years. How many years have they been sending rovers to mars and how many billions of dollars? How many years is it going to take for them to figure out there aint no life on mars and never has been

[@diegomolinaf]

Hi Fraser! Just watched Isaac's part of this series and I'm wondering if there is something in between star systems. I mean, if the Oort cloud has about one light year in size, is there something between us and Alpha Centauri? A Lagrange point of sorts with an entire planet of mass? Thank you in advance!

[@despaap]

hey fraser cain, could you maybe do a video about rockets and how they work? i love yout videos!

[@enginkuvrag5242]

It is amazing and I need the sources for my homework 🤣

[@davidcastelein2137]

Mercury looks far more promising that it used to be !

[@frasercain]

Definitely, now that we know it has reserves of frozen water on it.

[@RustyDust101]

Great video, both Fraser Cain, and Isaac Arthur. Had to subscribe to Fraser's channel, too. As you mentioned the oceans of Earth and Europa, I always get reminded that deep oceanic colonies often have much greater problems surviving than orbital, or even deep space habitats. Sure, we wouldn't have to worry about getting water, or preventing radiation. But we'd need MUCH stronger materials, and a LOT more of it to generate a single ISS worth of breathable, livable atmoshpere's worth of colonizable area at 4000 meters depth, than we would need for a single such colony in space. True, fuel consumption to reach it would be much lower for an ocean base compared to a space base (of any kind), if we continue to use rockets for reaching LEO or geo-syncronous orbits. But as soon as a sky-hook, or (hopefully) a space elevator becomes plausible, economically viable, and physically possible, anything we build for the abyssal ocean depths is going down the drain. For the single most restraining factor for space manufacturing, as well as space habitats, is virtually gone: cost of getting stuff into orbit. Heck, even Musk's Space X could reduce the costs enough (if it finally works as advertised). But that cost will remain for any deep ocean habitats until we have a material that is a) long term resistant to the corrosive effects of saline ocean water, b) highly resistant to extreme pressures, c) relatively low cost and easy to manufacture, d) has a naturally variable buoancy that allows the habitat to be lowered slowly, be filled with air at its final destination, and then retain slightly negative buoyancy (ie sinks sloooowly) even when filled with a breathable atmosphere. That would be the dream material for an abyssal depth habitat. But nothing I've heard of sufficiently fulfills even three of the criteria above. Because the strains on the material would incredibly difficult to calculate, as well as extremely hard to satisfy. Imagine something filled with a single atmosphere pressure worth of air, straining to pop to the surface like a cork, while being tethered to huge weights at the bottom, yet also resisting the huge water pressures - hell, that's something I wouldn't like to contemplate from a point of view of a material's engineer or scientist. Building beneath the ocean floor might be a solution, but then exchanging material with the surface becomes a (minor) problem. High pressure seals should NEVER fail at those depths - the water jet squirting through a ruptured seal makes a water cutter look like a kid's water gun at those pressures.

[@frasercain]

I think that underwater colonies make a lot of sense for worlds like Europa, Encleadus, etc. We'll see what happens once the Europa Clipper tells us how deep they are.

[@daltonduncan7285]

We need to build the Mother Ship. A large, permanently inhabited space colony with multiple landers for space exploration to facilitate the travel between colonies on the moon, earth, and mars.

[@Justwantahover]

6:09 Have all the twilight areas of Mercury filled with those sealed cave homes.

[@frasercain]

Those twilight areas will be key to future colonization of Mercury.

[@shanehenderson630]

If they are looking to for people to help build the colonies on the moon, COUNT ME IN!!

[@cluckeryduckery261]

Hey Frasier, I've been trying to ask this question on both yours and Isaac Arthur's QnA dealies. It's probably more suited for you as its not a futurism question. How do shockwaves propagate through a near vacuum? I know i can Google it damnit. But you guys are good at conceptualizing difficult concepts.

[@cluckeryduckery261]

If its as simple as the shockwave pushes the material and the material carries the shockwave, I'm gonna be pissed. That was my first thought, but I don't think it's the whole story.

[@HebaruSan]

This collab is giving me flashbacks to 1992 Olympic men's basketball.

[@frasercain]

Wait... what happened then?

[@HebaruSan]

Fraser Cain "The Dream Team" :)

[@jetflaque8187]

great video! tip from an isaac arthur watcher, perhaps add some amazing music to your vids!

[@frasercain]

We will. We've experimented with it in the past, and people complained, so we need to get it right.

[@clarewulf2054]

If you hollow out an asteroid, you want want to spin it up for gravity, but an interior section that is rotating would be awesome.

[@Hydrarust]

This is fine, when I made my comment on a short cinematic at the beginning, this is pretty much what I meant :) Nice going Fraser.

[@frasercain]

So, my voice over on top of some cool space animations?

[@Hydrarust]

Yeah, it just helps grip the people who are watching.

[@Hydrarust]

Love your vids by the way, keep em up.