moles on Mars

[Xylene]

Here's an idea--the gigantic shield volcanoes of Mars will have hundreds of miles of lava tubes, which would (admittedly with a bit of work to make them completely livable) make ideal homes for future colonists. You could spray the insides of the tubes with cement to plug up any gaps, then put in airlocks every hundred metres or so. Put in level floors, connect up power, and shift in all the usual stuff to make the place comfortable, and you have yourself an readymade underground home. :cool: Much better than taking your chances with surface life (cosmic rays, meteorites) Any comments on viability of this idea?

[orcot]

Well the lava tubes would proberly be near the surface. So the heat loss would be considereble.
Also water vapour of the pressurised base would build up in the above layers were it would't freeze under the martian conditions, the ice will expand and therefore crack the rock a little. If this process can't be stopped you would either have to dam all of the walls or the roof would eventually collapse.

There is also the fact that the vulcano can erupt or blow enof hot steam to melt a part of the structures.
Further mars quakes, rock hard basalt to drill in and complete darkness for potential crops

[Xylene]

I would think that the volcanoes would be long dead, as Mars probably doesn't have much geology going on. It's a lot smaller than Earth, and less mass, so it loses heat more quickly.

[TruthSeeker]

Sounds like a very practical and cheap idea....

Huuumm... I stil prefer a vacation home here on Earth.....

[2inquisitive]

I had read a couple of years ago of a study being conducted on the logistics of using caves and lava tubes on Mars as habitat. I did a google search and found the study, conducted by Dr. Penelope Brown. It is quite in-depth and interesting, especially the research into what food source could be compatible with such an environment.
http://www.highmars.org/niac/niac01.html

[Xylene]

Yes, it's not an original idea. The thought has occurred to other people a long time before I worked it out. ;)