For over 30 years, I made my living in the delivery business. One thing that I liked to do was the over the road runs. However, they aren't all that profitable, because nearly all the runs had nothing that came back. The point is that you don't want to come back empty. This allows me to segue into the spacefaring business that may develop as a consequence of Elon Musk's inventions of affordable spaceflight.
But Mars traveling won't be nearly as affordable if there are too many inefficiencies. The question arises, then, as to what to do about ships that travel to Mars. What do they bring back to Earth? Anything? Or is it a one-way trip? If there's going to be a viable existence on Mars, there needs to be some commerce. Otherwise, why go there at all?
As mentioned in a previous post, and in earlier posts, there's going to be a need for off-world resources. The cost of launching from Earth is still going to be too much, even if Musk's dreams come true. He may get costs down to the point where it makes sense on a per-launch basis, but will people accept all these launches that will be necessary to support his endeavors? SpaceX is going to face obstacles enough. These kinds mentioned here may be avoidable altogether if a source of fuel can be sourced from Mars itself.
Mars indeed can be sourced for this fuel. Mars has plenty of water. Unfortunately, there's a deep gravity well on Mars. Is it possible to do better elsewhere? Well, Mars has two moons. It may be profitable to find out if there's a water source on these moons. Getting to and from Phobos and Deimos is a lot easier than the same from the surface of Mars.
If water is found, then how to transport it? Water is inconvenient in its phases. It only exists as a liquid in a narrow temperature band. Would a better solution be available? Perhaps a mixture of ammonia and water? There's plenty of nitrogen on Mars. Perhaps even some ammonia. Indeed, a lot of water too. The most precious resource is hydrogen. Everything it seems can come from the surface, but is that always desirable? There's that pesky traveling while empty problem again. But these problems could be ironed out.
You cannot make methane without hydrogen. Water can be your hydrogen source. Ammonia could be brought along as well. It can be a good anti-freeze for the water. Therefore, you could bring an aqueous ammonia solution as your return cargo from Mars. Perhaps the carbon dioxide can be frozen too. Dry ice is more dense than the gas. You want to be as efficient as possible. In a cramped and limited space, less is more when it is more dense.
Methane could be made wherever it is needed. Space stations could serve this purpose. Trade with the Martian surface could bring needed materials from the surface. There's that sticky problem about traveling empty though. What goes down to the surface? Maybe the Earthlings and a bit of whatever can be sourced from the two Moons.
You have two-year launch windows from Earth. Therefore, you need to be busy between the launch windows. Making tradeable goods and preparing them for the journey back to Earth could bring value to their existence on Mars, and the two moons.
If you cannot bring an economic benefit to being there, you can only be an economic burden upon the enterprise. In a pinch, you could find yourselves cut off from supplies. That wouldn't be a good thing so far away from everything.
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