
Ask HN: As a Software Engineer how can I help in colonizing mars? - break_the_bank
I&#x27;ve always been fascinated with space exploration but have no clue how as a Software Engineer can I contribute to this.<p>I&#x27;m not American.
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WAthrowaway
1\. Work for SpaceX

2\. Work for NASA

3\. Work for your local space agency or aeronautics concern

4\. Amass a large amount of money through software engineering and donate /
invest

5\. Amass a large amount of money through software engineering and create your
own colony initiative

~~~
break_the_bank
Working for SpaceX is the dream but I don't have a Green card nor am I in
America.

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caymanjim
There aren't any serious efforts to colonize Mars, and I don't think there's
any special need for software developers. Your options to be involved even
tangentially are pretty slim. If you want to be associated, your only serious
options are a national space agency (NASA, ESA, or one of the few other
spacefaring nations), or the few commercial space companies, with SpaceX being
the only one that's expressed any interest in Mars.

I've indirectly worked for NASA a few times, through university-run, NASA-
funded programs (Mars rovers and orbiters, and some other planetary missions).
It's interesting work, and I felt like I was contributing in a small way. I'd
encourage anyone with an interest to get involved in that way. I can't say I
felt like I was important at all, but it was more rewarding than working on
Wall Street (except financially).

~~~
break_the_bank
I should have been clear. I am not overly attached to Mars, I just want to
help in space exploration and space colonization seems like a fine idea but
again what you suggested are probably the only options.

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DrNuke
Get involved in the Mars Colony competition 2019 discussed here a few days
ago:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18305464](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18305464)

~~~
break_the_bank
That seems fairly interesting.

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rayvy
My question would be...why exactly would you want to help do this? Um, have
you not seen what we've done to earth? Why would you want to help spread our
human-ness to Mars?

I'm always so confused by people who want us to go to Mars ( _cough_ Elon
Musk), like that's suddenly going to make humans not do human ish. Like Mars
is going to make us suddenly not racist. Like Mars is suddenly going to make
us start giving a damn about our environment and fellow man. It's kind've
laughable honestly.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
I don't think there is a hope in hell that we can achieve it. Just look at how
much effort it took to get to the moon, colonising Mars is an infinitely more
difficult problem.

~~~
break_the_bank
They were on the moon in 9 years and we have had fifty years since. Peter
Thiel, would call the lunar mission a part of our "Deterministic Optimisim".
If you assume humans keep progressing,after a certain point we should be able
to colonize different plants. Its not about if its about when.

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ian0
I think the most realistic avenue to take would be using your software eng
skills to assist interest groups that are focussed on increasing funding for
the sciences / space exploration.

I bet they have terrible websites, difficulties getting content to people etc.
Also Im sure there are plenty of opportunities to create tools / games that
encourage public interest in space exploration.

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segmondy
Figure out an unsolved problem required for colonizing mars and work on it.
Build a startup, have billions of dollars exit then redirect all your money
towards the unsolved problems.

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m0llusk
Run simulations.

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ncmncm
Why bother colonizing Mars at all? The place is worse than a dump.

Even the moon would be a better choice, this century at least. The cloud tops
of Venus are heavenly, by comparison. Even asteroids have more appeal.

Antarctica or northern Greenland would be overwhelmingly more pleasant than
any of those. Likewise the ocean floor, on any continental shelf. Texas.

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80mph
_> Why bother colonizing Mars at all? The place is worse than a dump._

Well, to play devil's advocate, if you know that there's likely to be a WWIII
(or other catastrophe) that wipes out all life, establishing a sustaining base
on Mars is the best way to ensure the return of human civilization.[1]

[1] The whole talk is worth a listen, but he talks specifically about this
starting at 7:20: [https://youtu.be/B-Osn1gMNtw](https://youtu.be/B-Osn1gMNtw)

~~~
omosubi
If a WWIII were to happen would we want to ensure the return of human
civilization?

