Creative Engineering
What is the Creative Engineering Project?
- The Creative Engineering Project is designed to utilize the Engineering Design Cycle to solve a world problem.
- The Engineering Design Cycles is as follows:
- Identify the Need
- Research
- Brainstorm Solutions
- Choose a Plan
- Construct a Prototype
- Test and Evaluate
- Communicate
- Anything between soggy cereal and space colonization.
Our Project was to Identify and Solve the Pressing Need For
Image Credit Me.
The first order of business was identifying our need, and doing the research to further support our cause. Our need, we found, was to simply get off of Earth so that the human race can continue after we've razed the planet for the final resources. To do so, we researched population growth and different disasters. Natural disasters that could wipe humans off of the face of the universe include but are not limited to ice ages, previous mass extinctions, super volcanoes, and hurricanes. Disasters brought about by human desire include but are not limited to resource consumption, air pollution, and nuclear reactor meltdowns. Humans ourselves are a problem too. At current rates, the United Nations has predicted human population to be 10.4 billion people by 2050, and 36.4 billion people by 2300. This means that in 2300, there will be approximately 60 people per square mile, including oceans and areas set aside by government. Because we currently can't live on the ocean, the population density would increase to 247 people per square mile, still including government set aside areas and Antarctica.
Our second order of business was to continue research on the matter at hand. Mars is relatively nearby, and not nearly as hostile as Venus or Mercury (which are farther still). We did research on the issues and solutions to habitation of Mars. The first issue was the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. Mars' atmosphere is approximately 96% CO2. The next issue is energy. We need energy for the entire habitation to work. The third issue is getting materials there, and the last is the cold temperature. We solved these in a few ways.
Our second order of business was to continue research on the matter at hand. Mars is relatively nearby, and not nearly as hostile as Venus or Mercury (which are farther still). We did research on the issues and solutions to habitation of Mars. The first issue was the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. Mars' atmosphere is approximately 96% CO2. The next issue is energy. We need energy for the entire habitation to work. The third issue is getting materials there, and the last is the cold temperature. We solved these in a few ways.
Image Credit inhabitat.com
To solve the first issue, my group and I decided on the use of cyanobacterium. Cyanobacteria is a species of bacterium that can photosynthesize, thus introducing pure oxygen into the environment of mars. They are accredited with supplying Earth's current atmosphere with it's oxygen before trees. They can additionally live in high- or low-oxygen environments, making them the perfect candidates for photosynthesis and for atmospheric terraforming.
Image Credit wonderv.wordpress.com
The second issue was solved in a few ways. Wind turbines, solar panels, and geothermal energy. Wind speed on Mars is ideal for wind turbines, which would make them effective. Solar panels are cheap, effective, and possible with our domal module solution. Mars is very geothermally active, which means we can harvest the heat for energy and, well, heat!
The third issue is solved by sending resource pods before the colonists, therefore allowing for quick and easy, as well as readily available, transport of materials.
Some other issues popped up along the way to discovery (including communication). One was UV radiation, as Mars does not have an Ozone layer. Until this layer would be implemented, we would use tempered glass in the dome to prevent radiation. Other than the glass for the atrium, the rest of the dome would be solid. Ethan brought up sandstorm issues. There are a few ways to deal with that, which includes a glass protection for the solar panels.
Our final solution was, as hinted to earlier, domal living modules. These are very large domes that could support a county's worth of people, complete with an atrium for farming/cynobacteria, a residential complex for the citizens, and a commercial complex for businesses to run in. See our group's Prezi Presentation to see what the dome would look like, and for more information on the solution.
Our next steps are to show NASA these plans to help guide the Mars Missions.
All in all, this project was very fun to pursue. First, I had a nice group to work with. Brian and Nick were productive, as was Ky, however Ky was not as productive as the other two. I think that the greatest part about this project was being able to give ourselves the boundaries and expectations. We could study any engineering issue, then help to fix it, which gave everybody a lot of creative freedom. This project, at least for my group, was a little bit of a challenge, because colonization of Mars is not an easy topic.
The third issue is solved by sending resource pods before the colonists, therefore allowing for quick and easy, as well as readily available, transport of materials.
Some other issues popped up along the way to discovery (including communication). One was UV radiation, as Mars does not have an Ozone layer. Until this layer would be implemented, we would use tempered glass in the dome to prevent radiation. Other than the glass for the atrium, the rest of the dome would be solid. Ethan brought up sandstorm issues. There are a few ways to deal with that, which includes a glass protection for the solar panels.
Our final solution was, as hinted to earlier, domal living modules. These are very large domes that could support a county's worth of people, complete with an atrium for farming/cynobacteria, a residential complex for the citizens, and a commercial complex for businesses to run in. See our group's Prezi Presentation to see what the dome would look like, and for more information on the solution.
Our next steps are to show NASA these plans to help guide the Mars Missions.
All in all, this project was very fun to pursue. First, I had a nice group to work with. Brian and Nick were productive, as was Ky, however Ky was not as productive as the other two. I think that the greatest part about this project was being able to give ourselves the boundaries and expectations. We could study any engineering issue, then help to fix it, which gave everybody a lot of creative freedom. This project, at least for my group, was a little bit of a challenge, because colonization of Mars is not an easy topic.