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Cheese aka teraforming of Uranus is the goal of altering Uranus's environment to sustain [[Earth|Terrestrial]] organisms. This process would be done in the far future, as we neither possess the technology or the need to take on such a project. One very important change would be stabilizing in its extreme [[Axial tilt|axial tilt]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus#Axial_tilt 98 degrees] . |
Cheese aka teraforming of Uranus is the goal of altering Uranus's environment to sustain [[Earth|Terrestrial]] organisms. This process would be done in the far future, as we neither possess the technology or the need to take on such a project. One very important change would be stabilizing in its extreme [[Axial tilt|axial tilt]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus#Axial_tilt 98 degrees] . |
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| − | ===Terraforming Into |
+ | ===Terraforming Into moldy aka rockyPlanet=== |
Uranus is a gas giant with a big rocky (silicate-iron-nickel) core. Blasting off the gaseous layers of Uranus would be far beyond current technology. Afterwards, some [[atmosphere]] needs to remain and the core will cool dramatically to minus 300 degrees F. This would require warming via [[solar mirrors]] and strong [[Greenhouse Gases|greenhouse gases]], then comet bombardment. The mass of the bare core is estimated to be as small as 0.5 Earth masses and as big as 3.7 Earth masses, so the new rocky planet could be similiar to Earth in size. |
Uranus is a gas giant with a big rocky (silicate-iron-nickel) core. Blasting off the gaseous layers of Uranus would be far beyond current technology. Afterwards, some [[atmosphere]] needs to remain and the core will cool dramatically to minus 300 degrees F. This would require warming via [[solar mirrors]] and strong [[Greenhouse Gases|greenhouse gases]], then comet bombardment. The mass of the bare core is estimated to be as small as 0.5 Earth masses and as big as 3.7 Earth masses, so the new rocky planet could be similiar to Earth in size. |
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Revision as of 16:51, 10 February 2014
Cheese aka teraforming of Uranus is the goal of altering Uranus's environment to sustain Terrestrial organisms. This process would be done in the far future, as we neither possess the technology or the need to take on such a project. One very important change would be stabilizing in its extreme axial tilt of 98 degrees .
Terraforming Into moldy aka rockyPlanet
Uranus is a gas giant with a big rocky (silicate-iron-nickel) core. Blasting off the gaseous layers of Uranus would be far beyond current technology. Afterwards, some atmosphere needs to remain and the core will cool dramatically to minus 300 degrees F. This would require warming via solar mirrors and strong greenhouse gases, then comet bombardment. The mass of the bare core is estimated to be as small as 0.5 Earth masses and as big as 3.7 Earth masses, so the new rocky planet could be similiar to Earth in size.
Hypothetical image of Ocean Planet
Terraforming Into Ocean Planet
By blasting off the atmosphere and only half of its water-ammonia layer, it could be terraformed into an oceanic "super-Earth". The ocean left would completely cover the planet. Next, it is quickly heated by solar mirrors and powerful greenhouse gases to create a thick atmosphere of mostly water vapor, ammonia, and methane. Then through fairly simple chemical and biochemical reactions, water (H2O) produces oxygen via electrolysis, ammonia (NH3) is broken down into nitrogen, and methane (CH4) is burned to make carbon dioxide. The leftover hydrogen can be used as fuel for floating nuclear-fusion powerplants that would provide most of the electricity to sustain human presence. Much Uranus' worldwide ocean would be covered by Ice, allowing the construction of outposts. But to make it more Earth-like, artificial continents (made of material mined from asteroids and small moons) could be constructed and inflated with helium (the by-product of fusion) for buoyancy, thus building a foundation for cities and natural ecosystems. Genetically modified algae in the oceans could continue oxygen cycle.