Terraform Mars or Dyson Ring?

Background:

The main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is the closest and richest source of non terrestrial resources to Earth in the solar system. Even though it is vast its resources are obviously finite so mankind must choose between two projects to use it for:

1. Terraforming Mars: Launching asteroids from the belt tangentially at Mars to increase its spin and mass and restart its core.

2. Create a Dyson Ring: creating first satellites in the belt and eventually linking them into a ring. I'm not sure how much material there is but it could be this ring could be big enough to support habitable sections (much like a Halo ring).

Given only these 2 options, which option would result in the greatest enhancement for mankind: (relative plausibility should also be a factor in your answer)

Note: Any answer that seeks to scientifically discredit 1 possibility must provide mathematical evidence as to why it is not plausible.

Requested Criteria:

1. Must select 1 of the 2 options.
2. Enhancement to mankind can be quantified in living space, opportunity to improve technology, progression of space travel (man's reach), access to resources (materials, energy, infrastructure), and ultimately the security in continuation of our species (IE: the probability of a singular disaster being able to wipe us all out).
3. If discrediting one possibility to select another, must mathematically discredit that possibility as part of that justification.
4. In both scenarios Earth isn't acting a primary factory or resource supplier, the majority of resources and construction is to occur in the belt.

posted about 7 years ago

anon‭

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