Is Mars terraformed in the Traveller universe?
- Thread starter Shonner
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Peter Newman
SOC-12
Per CT Book 6 (Scouts) page 56:
Mars F43056A-F Military Base, Colony
[Spaceport F = 'Good quality with unrefined fuel, minor repair facilities' that makes it better than a D starport but maybe not as good as a C starport.]
So it looks as if they've raised the atmosphere code from it's current 1 (Trace) to 3 (Very Thin). The Hydrographics code is still 0 but a 0 code can include planets with almost 5% surface water so you may want to fill in a few areas with water. I'd keep them no bigger than the Mediterranean.
Government type 6 would normally make it a colony of Earth but the Earth has government type 6 as well since it is still controlled by the Imperial Military. Therefore Mars probably is too.
IMTU Mars has a large (in area, not in population) Marine base. I assume that this is where they practice things that Earth is too crowded for. IMTU it also has a smallish civilian colony near (but far enough back to be safe) a low altitude crater full of water that gets comets smashed into it to improve the hydrographics and increase atmospheric density. I also assume there's a bunch of low altitude areas covered with some dark colored mosslike plants (maybe genetically engineered but maybe just imports from a planet that naturally has a 3 atmosphere) to help make air and absorb heat.
I forgot the name. Home. How simple. Think HOME KEY.
I'll just use the dry side of a terraformed Mars if the players do go there. I never know what will happen in a game, since I run it as a sandbox.
So far, Mars looks like this. I just need to work on getting its terrain on a Traveller style hexmap sheet.
I'll just use the dry side of a terraformed Mars if the players do go there. I never know what will happen in a game, since I run it as a sandbox.
So far, Mars looks like this. I just need to work on getting its terrain on a Traveller style hexmap sheet.
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LeperColony
Traveller Card Game Dev Team
That's awesome. But shouldn't the OTU Mars have less water?
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
That's... significant. Not sure I can buy it either. Seems it would take a LOT to the 100th power to destroy even the small Martian moons. I can't recall reading that, is it from CT AM6?
...nope, not AM6. Nor Supp 10. I'll wait for an answer
Terra is the scientific name for the ball of rock with a skin of water and life that you're on. Earth is a colloquialism.
The Solomani Capital is named "Home". It's in Aldeberan, orbits a star named Dril. (AM6 p 3)
steventirey1985
SOC-12
That's... significant. Not sure I can buy it either. Seems it would take a LOT to the 100th power to destroy even the small Martian moons. I can't recall reading that, is it from CT AM6?
...nope, not AM6. Nor Supp 10. I'll wait for an answer
The MegaTraveller book Solomani & Aslan has this to say:
For some reason, I want to say they did it by redirecting Phobos, and therefore destroying both moons.
Edit: I believe Deimos being destroyed is also in Traveller's Digest #13, at least according to the Traveller Integrated Timeline
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mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Daft question - but which science texts have you ever seen that call earth Terra?
I have a couple of dozen physics, astrophysics and astronomy texts, and not a single one calls Earth anything but Earth.
Is it a science fictionism that we all just accept or does it have some actual academic truth to it?
Always wondered about this...
steventirey1985
SOC-12
I don't know its scientific uses, but Terra is the Latin name for Earth.
Over a dozen elementary science texts (grades 4-6 level), which make note that the common english name is Earth.
Plus, Carl Sagan points it out several places.
That both are also synonyms for "dirt" or "ground" is ironic.
Note that the IAU does NOT use Terra - but it's actually a US organization - USGS an NASA funded - with international membership allowed.
Until the late 19th and the 20th century, Latin was the language of science.
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mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Back to the original topic - what's the point of improving the martian atmosphere if it still lacks a magnetic field?
Uh oh. Now you've done it. No one ever goes there. But you did.
It's a very good question, but it's also true that if you're able to improve Mars atmosphere you might be able to deal or cope with the lack of a magnetic field too.
I'm not suggesting that they can somehow jump start Mars core, but I am suggesting they can shield buildings or perhaps regions.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Well I suppose there is always the magical radiation shielding that the maneuver drive can provide...
Well I suppose there is always the magical radiation shielding that the maneuver drive can provide...
Yessiree!
There's also a radiation shield mentioned in the Bowman box set. In the history section there's a blurb about a catastrophe occurring at a habitat on one of the gas giant moons when the habitat's radiation shielding fails.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
So there we have it.
Conclusive proof of a technology that isn't detailed or mentioned anywhere else in Traveller canon and yet would have a big impact on the setting
Conclusive proof of a technology that isn't detailed or mentioned anywhere else in Traveller canon and yet would have a big impact on the setting
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