Monday, April 28, 2014

W is for Water In Space


Water: Without it, we die. Real fast. So if we are to colonize the moon, Mars, asteroids, and beyond then we need to find ample sources of water. We as space travelers simply cannot lug it into space with us. 

We have to ask: How much water is in space? Where is it? Can we find and extract it at a cost that makes sense? And if there is water (in ice, vapor, or liquid form), will there also be life? 

Water forms when two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom get together. So theoretically, water can exist in abundant forms in outer space. 

"Two teams of astronomers have discovered the largest and farthest reservoir of water ever detected in the universe. The water, equivalent to 140 trillion times all the water in the world's ocean, surrounds a huge, feeding black hole, called a quasar, more than 12 billion light-years away."  


"The environment around this quasar is very unique in that it's producing this huge mass of water," said Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "It's another demonstration that water is pervasive throughout the universe, even at the very earliest times. Reference 

But what about our solar system? Is there water close to home? Just take a look at this map of Our Watery Solar System. Planets, moons, asteroids, and dwarf planets are places that hold water to some degree. If the image is not clear, please click THIS LINK


So, just how the heck do we mine this water in our solar system? Sorry, but I'm out of room and out of time. But for now I wanted to present this concept of water in outer space and the possibilities we can exploit. How to mine it is a mini-series I will present shortly. Please stay tuned.

12 comments:

  1. I know water is a real issue in exploring space and where we could survive. I didn't realize that there were even any possibilities of it.

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  2. What we need to do is learn how to preserve the water we have on earth.

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  3. What an intriguing idea, to "mine" water from space. I think we should, along with conserving our own, find out how to access the space water as well. What an adventure that would be!

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  4. Might be a little dangerous trying to get water from near that black hole.

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  5. That picture's really interesting, I had no idea which planets had forms of water.

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  6. Good point about water and future colonization. When I think of us colonizing other places, I think about *oxygen* automatically, but not so much water. And there's no way we could bring enough with us.

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  7. Sadly it won`t concern me but it`s nice to know that there is likely to be water which can be mined. Look forward to your blog about it.

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  8. I don't think it's necessary to extract water from space. It would serve us better to be more responsible with the water sources that are already available to us, by protecting and caring for the environment right in our back yard. The people of this world are so wasteful and unappreciative of the natural resources that we have. It would be a shame to have to venture out into space for something that we should be taking care of at home.

    ~Nicole
    A-to-Z Co-Host
    The Madlab Post

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  9. Think you've missed the point Nicole, it's not water for use on earth but for when, and if, we get to colonise in space. But, yes, you are right about water conservation on earth.

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  10. I wonder how much commonality there is among planets in the universe. Will there be elements out there we don't know about?

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  11. Pretty neat! The water on Mars will become increasingly important as they further develop the colonization plans. Launch in 2024, I think? I just heard yesterday that the private group funding the project is developing a reality TV program to watch the selection process for the journey to Mars. It's a one way trip. So fascinating.

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  12. Hi Stephen .. Elizabeth mentions oxygen ... I'm sure there's hydrogen out there ... isn't water H2O ... but scientifically I'm sure this thought is a little crazy .. I've no wish to go into a black hole to search for water - I think I'll stay here ... but it's fascinating how people keep searching and adding to the science ... cheers Hilary

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