Will Humans Ever Live On Mars?
Global warming. Nuclear warfare. Donald Trump. These are some of the problems we face in today’s society. In order for the human race to ensure its survival from such threats, it is imperative that humans expand beyond earth and into space. If the earth were ever to be destroyed, the human race would continue to exist on another planet. Many scientists believe Mars would be a suitable planet to begin colonizing. Mars has ice underneath its soil, which translates into water. Its land is solid, making it easy to establish buildings. Finally, its distance from earth is the second shortest of any major planet. However, Mars should not be considered as a candidate for colonization. The reason being so is because
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The journey there is extremely perilous as space travel exposes humans to a hostile environment as well as isolation (NASA). The tight quarters in a spaceship makes it easier for microbes and microorganism to spread among astronauts. With a full year of space travel ahead of them, sick astronauts are a liability, to themselves and the crew. Not only that, being confined in an environment will affect astronauts psychologically as well. No matter how professional, tempers will flare, and more than a few members will begin to few isolated from the team. This creates a strained relationship which may affect the quality at which an astronaut performs his duties, jeopardizing the safety of everyone involved. Upon arrival, it is an endless landscape of nothingness. There is no source of entertainment and settlers would be forced to work diligently every single day, struggling to adapt and survive in the Martian climate. Furthermore, settlers would have to look and live with the same people for the rest of their lives. In addition, settlers sent to Mars would be on a one way trip, as it extremely expensive for anyone to be sent back. According to an online survey, only 7% of Americans would agree to go on a one way trip to Mars (Swanson). In the long run, less and less people will want to go to Mars, eventually leaving the current settlers to die off one by one, until there is only one left. The thought of being alone on a planet is frightening, and a very real possibility. Even if settlers could be sent back, it would take at least a few months for the planets to get close enough to make the journey. That is a few months without seeing loved one, and clouds in the bright blue sky, as well as feeling the gentle breeze brushing against the skin, and the warmth of natural sunlight. More so, the Martian gravity will have affected the human body, making it extremely difficult to readjust to life back on earth. For the
Starting with Mars being too dangerous. Colonists could be exposed to radiation which can result in cancer, brain damage, tumors, sickness, or death. Secondly, Mars has a lower gravity than Earth which means over time colonists would lose bone mass, have a weaker immune system, and have a weaker heart and body. Lastly, colonists would be in a closed environment for a long periods of time which could lead to mental problems according to NASA and Mars One.
Mars’ gravity is about 38 percent of Earth’s gravity, so too much gravitational pull wouldn’t be a problem, (Mars One, 2017). Cosmonauts experience no extremely negative impacts in zero gravity,(Mars One, 2017). A cosmonaut named Sergi Avdev even spent 438 days in zero gravity and was fine afterwards. SpaceX and NASA are doing tests as we speak to see if people really can inhabit Mars. So far, the tests have resulted in being successful and colonization is able to happen.
Who knows what kind of opportunities can come from Mars? We can use the many resources that have already been found on this planet, it could help us in many ways beyond space exploration, and it could even be a new place for us to live. That’s why I believe that the government should fund space exploration to Mars.
“I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime” was said by Buzz Aldrin, a NASA astronaut. The former American aeronaut from Montclair, New Jersey believes that since Mars does exist, it is waiting to be reached by humans. When this would happen, he says that the human race would “evolve into a two-planet species.” Present day Mars has a lot of canyons, mountains and volcanoes. Even though the surface is Mars is very old, scientists learned about different younger rift valleys, plains, hills and ridges. According to recent reports, there were lakes and rivers, along with an ocean billions of years ago. The low temperatures on the planet cause there to be polar ice caps and frozen water present. Scientists continue to notice several discoveries on the planet that lead them to think there was once life on the planet. Different clues have scientists wanting to find out about even more. Many scientists in the past few centuries have been curious if life on Mars is possible or if it has ever been before.
Mars is our next best hope in life on another planet. Because of science mankind can grow and harvest plants in the modified mars soil, make a thick warm atmosphere, and drink no frozen mars water. Mankind can grow and flourish more as a species with this idea of colonizing mars. With more scientific advancements we can colonize mars and we will colonize mars.
Mars has a thin atmosphere, that would block some of the radiation meaning only light shielding would be required to protect the populace living there. The average person living on Mars would only take in an average of 11 millisieverts (mSv) a year, much less than the international space agencies maximum of 1000 mSv (Seedhouse). This means that the it could be safe to work and live on mars as long a six years before exceeding safe radiation levels. With the presence of water and it being safe from radiation the main problem a population would have is producing food. The study on PLOS one proved that the Moon had vary little chance of growing food however mars is quite the opposite. In some cases plants such as tomatoes, carrots, and rye actually grew and lasted better in the simulated Martian soil than in the Earths (Wamelink). This means that even though the soil might be devoid of life now, it has the capability to grow and sustain a population, allowing the future possibility of a Mars mission to be a possibility. Furthermore, proving that a Mars mission could be independent from Earth, and not have to rely on shipments of the basic requirements to survive. NASA has proven it wants to go to mars however such a large undertaking comes at a cost, and it is one that NASA just cannot afford it at the
Im not going to lie it could be dangerous, but it could save our race from dying off forever. This mission is also not useless because like what an aerospace engineer and author Robert Zubrin said,"There are really three reasons: for the science, for the challenge, and for the future"(Salazar). Going to Mars you can put down as being a part of the first people to colonize a new planet. If you go to Mars we are closer to other planets so we can explore them and get humans further in space ("Viewpoint: Should We Send Humans to Mars?"). Mars is not useless to go to, even though it can be dangerous it will be worth
What would make Mars a challenging place for humans to live? How may Mars have been different in the past?
2024, www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/we-will-never-live-on-mars-or-anywhere-else-besides-earth/46510576. This source suggests that Mars colonization is impossible due to microgravity, astronauts lose bone mass 12 times faster than a post-menopausal woman (it is easy for the mass to get to zero in zero gravity), the heart gets weakened and rounder in that environment, and fluids (blood, lymphatic system) flow upwards to the upper parts of the body. Humans' entire vascular system is made to fight gravity and pump upwards, which it continues to do even when gravity is gone, causing risk of thrombosis, and disturbance of the inner ear—problems with weightlessness, radiation, and human psychology. Thus, by this resource, Mars is not a habitable planet (unless a large bubble that could perform several functions like creating an atmosphere with the correct oxygenation level, maintaining the right pressure for human bodies, protecting against radiation, and providing for daily needs is built). “Why Go to Mars?” ESA, ESA, www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/Why_go_to_Mars.
One of these concerns is the solar radiation. Since the astronauts are in deep space for around 500 days, they are at risk of solar radiation and its harmful effects on humans, nevertheless, Mars' magnetic field will protect the astronauts from the solar radiation and new technology for solar radiation protection in deep space is being tested on the ISS. Another major concern is the long-term effect of Mars gravity and zero gravity in space. While this concern is meaningful, companies such as Zero Gravity Solutions are working on finding ways to help the astronauts. Also, with proper care, the astronauts will not experience the possible symptoms of zero gravity.
A manned mission to mars is too dangerous. First, it's cold. For instance, the average temperature is -61 degrees Fahrenheit. Since, it’s too cold it’s dangerous. Second, earth’s gravity harms the human body. For example, bones and muscles get weaker and the body produces less blood. Since, your bones and muscles get weaker and the body produces less blood this shows you that a manned mission to mars it too dangerous. Third, traveling is dangerous. For instance, traveling in a spaceship because minimeterorites can kill you. Since, minimeterorites can kill you this tells you that it's way too dangerous. In conclusion, a manned
Going to a Mars is an idea that is heavily debated in society and whether it is worth all of the government dollars to pursue a mission like this. The concept that will be explained is the idea of colonizing mars, as well as the various effects that it would bring upon humanity. This will includes issues such as Mars’ weather, how we plan on getting there, and what the cost to travel there will be. Past endeavors when it comes to space travel will also be discussed The benefits to humanity will also be discussed, and how having people on Mars may protect the human race if a global catastrophe were to occur.
An alternative proposition to make Mars suitable for human habitation is terraforming Mars; to deliberately change it’s environment to provide Earth-like ecosystems and that are suitable for humans. Terraforming Mars would be a long time in the future, it would take more than 50,000 years to terraform Mars if we started now. Other sources state that “it would be hundreds of years before the thin Martian atmosphere could be transformed into an oxygen-rich cradle for life” (Livescience.com). Turning Mars’s cold atmosphere into a warm one, having a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere with oxygen for humans to breathe, and restoring its habitable state, is possible. And there is no reason to think that Mars is sterile or even hostile to life forms,
malfunctions, and psychological problems brought on by isolation. The solution to radiation exposure is to have proper shielding for the astronauts. The physiological problems faced by humans in a weightless environment could be eliminated entirely, if they had artificial gravity. If some type of malfunction were to occur on the spacecraft, or the temporary settlement on Mars, it would be prudent for the astronauts to have an emergency escape vessel. Also, providing some type of normality for the astronauts while in space and on Mars, like artificial gravity, books to read, movies to watch, games to play, and the creation of a weekly support group, would promote a healthy psychological mindset.
There are many reasons that space exploration should continue. If Earth ever becomes too overpopulated or over polluted, then perhaps people can move to Mars. The world population in 1970 was approximately 4 billion people, and is currently nearly 6 billion people. The world population in 2015 is estimated to be 7 billion people. There is a possibility that there are useful resources on Mars. Scientists have found ice and some other clues, such as craters, volcanoes, and valleys, that have led them to believe that there was once life on Mars, and they believe that sometime in the future, should planet Earth need to be evacuated, humans will be able to live there (Jakosky 142). Many of the rocks on Mars appear to have been formed by gasses, breathable by humans and other creatures. A process called terraforming will allow astronauts to make use of the resources that are on the planet and create an atmosphere that will support life. One method for terraforming is that scientists would convert the gaseous rocks back into gasses, and use gas-eating organisms to eat the gas, which results in the formation of other gasses. If these organisms continue the cycle, then Mars would have a stable atmosphere for humans to live in (Getz 39).