We
are now concentrating on sending people to Mars because we've already
been to the moon, and Mars is pretty close compared to the other planets
(and more pleasant than Venus). But Saturn's largest moon offers a much
better environment for human colonization. Sure, there are drawbacks,
but those could be worked around. Let's look at the good things about
Titan.
It’s cold on Titan, at -180°C (-291°F), but
thanks to its thick atmosphere, residents wouldn’t need pressure
suits—just warm clothing and respirators. Housing could be made of
plastic produced from the unlimited resources harvested on the surface,
and could consist of domes inflated by warm oxygen and nitrogen. The
ease of construction would allow huge indoor spaces.
Titanians
(as we call them) wouldn’t have to spend all their time inside. The
recreational opportunities on Titan are unique. For example, you could
fly. The weak gravity—similar to the Moon’s—combined with the thick
atmosphere would allow individuals to aviate with wings on their backs.
If the wings fall off, no worry, landing will be easy. Terminal velocity
on Titan is a tenth that found on the Earth.
But the biggest asset would be the tons of gas available for fuel. Yeah, it rains methane there. Read about
Titan and its potential at Scientific American.
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