Artificial Assembly of Martian Moons for Tidal Reactivation

This study proposes a novel approach to reactivating the internal energy system of Mars by employing artificial satellite swarms to induce tidal forces. While previous terraforming studies have primarily focused on atmospheric manipulation and surface temperature control, this research presents a core-oriented strategy that aims to stimulate mantle convection and geothermal activity through sustained tidal stress. Numerical models and simulations indicate that when the total mass of the satellite swarm exceeds 10¹⁷ kg and orbital eccentricity is above 0.05, the resulting tidal heating surpasses 10⁷ W. This value corresponds to approximately 0.4% of Mars' current average geothermal flux, sufficient to potentially trigger localized convective activity. This paper comprehensively discusses orbital design, propulsion technologies, swarm stability, associated risks, and ethical considerations, assessing the feasibility of this concept as a next-generation planetary engineering strategy.