Mars, called the “Red Planet” for its rusty hue, has fascinated humanity for thousands of years. Its closeness to Earth, special characteristics and potential to host life have made it the central focus of space exploration. Technology has progressed to a point that interplanetary travel is actually possible - Mars colonization is a more realistic venture than ever.
But what do we really know about this planet? Let’s explore some interesting facts about Mars, the possibilities for space travel to Mars, and the possibility of a future human colony on Mars.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, sandwiched between Earth and Jupiter in the solar system. Ancient philosophers first pondered what it was made of, and astronomers spotted its ruddy glow. Mars has always been fascinating, right up to the modern-day scientists who have scrutinised its surface and atmosphere. It goes beyond science.
Yet there’s an overarching hope of future discovery if simply by being able to tread its scarred surface, a dream that may indeed soon be a reality thanks to the current Mars missions and space programs.
Mars is one such planet of extremes, and several facts about it set it apart from the rest of the planets in our solar system. Here are some key facts regarding space and Mars.
The most surprising fact about Mars may be that its day is almost as long as ours. This gives scientists close to a day-night cycle to study, like what Earth experiences. However, Mars’ year is much longer. Mars has a longer orbit of the Sun, meaning one year is roughly 687 days on Earth.
Mars has a thin atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a magnetic field, exposing the planet to solar winds and radiation. The whole planet can be covered by enormous dust storms. The space missions exploring Mars have perhaps tested the equipment designed to get to the planet against such sandstorms, like the landers and rovers sent there.
Mars has no permanent pools of liquid water as Earth does, but there’s much evidence to suggest the planet had flowing rivers and lakes - possibly even an ocean.
Dry riverbeds and mineral deposits that form only in the presence of water show that Mars may have been the cradle of life billions of years ago. Its recent missions have even found evidence of water ice beneath the surface of Mars. These bodies of water make Mars colonization a whole lot more attractive as a planet, as water is essential for human survival on the red planet.
Mars is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. Olympus Mons is about 69,841 feet (21.3 kilometers) high, three times the size of our favorite Mount Everest. Its base covers about 370 miles (600 kilometers) across, wider than an entire state - New Mexico. This massive volcano is just one of many striking features of the Red Planet and a place of great interest for missions seeking to glean information about Mars’s geologic past.
So now, Mars exploration is the new page of the story of the discovery of space. Dozens of missions to Mars have made us wiser about it over the decades. These missions, rovers, landers, and orbiters, have provided key insights about Mars’ surface, climate, and habitability. Here are some of the most prominent missions.
NASA’s Curiosity rover blasted off in 2011 to investigate the Gale Crater on Mars. This rover has provided us with enormous amounts of data about the atmosphere of Mars and what conditions may have existed there previously.
It verified that the planet once had the key building blocks for life, such as water and organic molecules. The Curiosity Rover continues to provide valuable information to Earth, as scientists seek to unravel the mysteries of the planet’s history and its potential environment for life.
In 2021, NASA sent Perseverance Rover to the surface of Mars. The rover’s primary mission is to hunt for signs of ancient life and to collect samples that could be returned to Earth in future missions.
Perseverance also tests new technology, including the helicopter Ingenuity, which achieved the first powered flight on another world. The long-term aim of colonizing Mars is a vast challenge. In the decades ahead, they will be looking for resources that could be used for human missions.
As it happens, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has not tried to hide its plans to colonize Mars for some time. Central to those ambitions is the company’s Starship spacecraft. Starship is designed to be a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying large numbers of people and cargo to Mars.
The goal is a sustainable human presence on Mars, building habitats there, pulling from local materials, and eventually becoming self-sufficient. While space travel to Mars is in its infancy, the pioneering rocket work of Elon Musk and his company, SpaceX, brings humanity a step closer to living on the Red Planet - perhaps someday even a Mars colony.
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Turning Mars into a place where humans can live permanently poses huge challenges.
Creating dependable life-support systems is one of the greatest challenges to the settlement of Mars. Humans need water, food, and breathable air to survive, but Mars lacks these essentials. This is also why NASA and other space agencies are exploring ways to construct sustainable habitats on Mars.
Technologies that might make life on Mars more sustainable, like hydroponic farming, water recycling systems, and advanced air filtration systems, have also been developed.
Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a robust magnetic field and thick atmosphere to protect it. It is lashed by lethal solar and cosmic radiation. Prolonged exposure to this radiation could pose serious health risks for astronauts and colonists. Scientists are, rather, exploring other techniques for shielding human habitats from radiation, such as by constructing bases underground or using radiation-deflecting materials.
The distance between Earth and Mars is a huge challenge when traveling to space. The journey to Mars can take anywhere from six months to nine months, depending on the alignment of the planets. For that entire time, astronauts will have to rely on their spacecraft for everything from food to entertainment. The travel time for such a journey will require vigilant planning and resource allocation for the safety of the people inside.
Being on Mars (in ever-increasing numbers) will strain colonists’ psychology. Isolation, confinement, and minimal contact with Earth could lead to mental health issues. There are not enough psychological support systems in place for astronauts to deal with pressure, in space and out, for future missions.
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For Mars exploration and colonization, the future looks very bright indeed. Yet ongoing advancements in space technology mean agencies like NASA and private companies like SpaceX are making major headway toward dispatching humans to Mars. In the decades to come, we will likely witness the first human expeditions to Mars, which may establish permanent colonies.
In addition to human missions, robotic exploration of Mars is going to still be a huge part of the effort.” These will provide essential information on the planet’s environment, resources and capacity to support life.
From gigantic volcanoes to old river beds, Mars has some mystical truths. Missions to Mars and scientific breakthroughs have brought us closer to knowing whether it is possible for humans to flourish there one day.
Humanity is literally shooting for the stars, and ongoing space exploration efforts and the potential settlement of Mars speak to that fact. In terms of space travel, there is absolutely no question that Mars is not only a prime location for scientific exploration but arguably the next step in human evolution.
This content was created by AI