Martian air, was: Zubrin and O'Neill

>>>>I guess that when one has ready access to nuclear power, as Zubrin
always
seems to have in his proposals, then why worry about such trivial matters
as reduced light due to a 100-day dust storm?>>>>

The waste heat from the nuke would be useful when it comes to heating the
habitat. This would hold true for a colony of the moon as well. The Martian
colonists could almost certainly build a Natural Uranium reactor out of
local materials. You wouldn't bother with the power conversion gear, just
use the nuclear heat for direct habitat heating. A CO2 cooled, Carbon
moderated reactor would be the simplest solution for heating very large
habitats. A small heavy water reactor, could also be used. You wouldn't
need a very substantial pressure vessel, because the water is used for
simple heating and does not need to generate steam. Hot leg temperatures
could be around 80degC.

Tony

Learn how to use your computer and the internet to set up an online
business, from the comfort of your own home. Get full details here: