The infinity of the Universe has always worried scientists and travelers. Colonization of planets is one of the most interesting options progressive development of society. This is not only about organizing a reserve bridgehead for humanity. The initiators of such projects also expect to receive commercial and political benefits.
Why should humanity colonize Mars?
The gradual relocation of people to hitherto unexplored spaces should serve for the benefit of humanity. The development of deposits of valuable metals will pay for the costs of overcoming ultra-long distances and surviving outside the usual environment. The exploration of Mars will prove our ability to exist autonomously outside our native civilization.
Why Mars
The presence of the atmosphere, glaciers, and geological structure make it possible for man-made habitats to be closer to those on Earth. Colonization of Mars looks more realistic than attempts to conquer the lifeless Moon or hot Venus with its acid rain. The length of a day there is slightly more than 24 hours. The year lasts 687 days, but the seasons change in the manner familiar to earthlings. This will help the settlers adapt to their new habitat and join the natural cycle.
List of Mars colonization goals
Due to the complexity of life support, stationary bases are more effective than the deployment of individual units. In some situations, their existence is simply invaluable:
- In the event of a global catastrophe on Earth, we will survive as a species, maintaining our cultural potential.
- Growing populated areas will help solve the demographic problem.
- Construction and mining in an aggressive environment will give impetus to the formation of new technologies.
- There will be a base for scientific research, a testing ground for experiments dangerous to our biosphere.
- The developed territories will become a launching pad for long-distance expeditions.
To achieve a common goal, the strongest states and commercial structures will join forces. Fundamentally new social relations will be formed.
Problems of colonization of Mars
Important and complex tasks include transporting living organisms and materials, providing food, and protecting against radiation. There are many questions, but not all have been resolved yet. Therefore, only a few optimists are confident that the imminent appearance of extraterrestrial cities is even possible.
Delivering people to Mars
The first issue that will need to be resolved when moving in is how to get the first residents to the site. At modern level technology flight to Mars will take about 8 months. A convenient moment to start appears once every two years, when the distance between celestial bodies minimal. This means that in the event of an emergency, pioneers will not be able to get quick help.
The ship's hull blocks only 5% of cosmic rays. During the flight, expedition members will receive potentially dangerous doses of radiation. We can only hope that when people go to Mars, safe hull protection will be invented.
Harsh conditions of the planet
The inhabitants of the colony will face a harsh, cold and dry climate. The average is -55°C and fluctuates sharply throughout the day. Besides:
- The gravity force is only 1.8 g, which leads to muscle atrophy and osteoporosis.
- It has a low density and is 95% carbon dioxide.
- There is almost no magnetic field, resulting in strong ionizing radiation.
- Atmospheric pressure is less than 1% of what is required for life, which makes existence unrealistic without a spacesuit.
- An additional danger is the constant threat of falling meteorites.
Living conditions on Mars: storms, radiation, meteorites, life in a spacesuit, low temperature. But this does not mean that the obstacles are insurmountable. Although it is unknown how the body will adapt to a long stay in such a harsh environment.
Where to start - main tasks
At the preliminary stage of preparation for the colonization of Mars, a detailed study of the landscape and available resources is necessary. The determination of specific landing points, the choice of equipment and technology depends on this.
Possible locations for founding a colony
It is likely that the exploration of a distant world will begin from beneath its surface. According to reports, there are deep caves there that can protect against dangerous radiation. If they can be connected by tunnels and sealed, this will eliminate the need for oxygen tanks.
It is better to set up settlements near the equator, where the air temperature is highest, for example, in the Marineris Valley. The maximum air pressure is noted at the bottom of the Hellas depression. There is an idea to build shelters in craters, which are covered from the inside with a layer of ice, which means there will be a source of moisture at hand.
Colonists' housing
At the beginning of the colonization of Mars, buildings can be shielded with local soil - regolith. Later, a thick layer of ceramic bricks produced there will become a material for the walls and an obstacle to radiation.
Recently, scientists discovered large diameter lava tubes on the red planet. They appear under the surface after volcanic eruptions and stretch for hundreds of meters. Such an underground system could become the basis for creating an entire Martian city.
On Earth, lava tubes reach a width of 30 meters; on Mars, this figure is much more than 250 meters. Energy sources
The formation of industrial civilization is difficult to imagine without energy resources. The sun's rays cannot be counted on due to dust storms that continue for months. Hopes are pinned on nuclear energy. Deposits of uranium and lithium, as well as the high deuterium content of ice, will make energy supply from nuclear reactors cost-effective.
Oxygen production
The atmosphere and soil are saturated with carbon dioxide, reserves of which in the form of dry ice are also found at the south pole. By direct decomposition of CO2, it will be possible to synthesize the oxygen necessary for breathing. To do this, settlers will bring with them photosynthetic plants: blue-green algae and plankton. There is, for example, the use of low-temperature plasma.
Water extraction
Water reserves, according to information from probes, are quite large. Glaciers have formed at the cold poles, and in the depths of the earth, experts hope to find underground rivers. Scans of the probes showed that under the surface of the southern polar cap at a depth of 1.5 kilometers there is a width of 20 kilometers. The soil itself contains up to 6% moisture at a depth of about a meter. Everything suggests that there is water on Mars, but not in liquid form, but in the form of ice. The reason we don't see it on the surface is because the low pressure at the surface causes the water to evaporate immediately. But there is a good chance of still extracting the ice and cleaning it to drinkable quality. Melting ice in special seals will become the main way for colonists to obtain water.
Farm buildings
To replenish food supplies, it is planned to build complexes with functions similar to earthly farms. As an option for protection from harmful radiation, the greenhouses will be hidden under the top layer of soil.
Growing fruit in Martian soil In theory, plants can be grown in local soil. But most likely it will be either too acidic or very alkaline, so serious pre-treatment will be required. With an established water supply, vegetables and herbs can be cultivated using hydroponics.
Connection with the Earth
The new Martians will not be completely cut off from the rest of human society. The exchange of information () is technically feasible, but will occur with a delay of 5 to 45 minutes. To do this, a relay satellite will be launched into orbit around the Sun. Later, the number of orbiting satellites will even make it possible to connect settlers to the global Internet network.
A project to provide stable communications when the Sun is between the planets Proposed colonization plans
Various projects for the colonization of Mars are actively discussed in academic and business circles. The most realistic of them accurately indicate the time when people will already live on Mars. But in practice, these dates are constantly shifting, no matter how well thought out the colonization strategies are.
Mars One Plan
A group of entrepreneurs from the Netherlands announced the beginning of the creation of a habitable base. The Dutch are going to compensate for expenses through television broadcasts covering the preparation process and everything further events. In 2024, it is planned to launch a communications satellite into orbit, followed by an automatic Mars rover and cargo ships. In 2031, a crew of 4 people will be sent, but only in one direction; technically, they will have no chance of returning back. Then the number of pioneers will increase.
Project Mars One Elon Musk's plan
According to SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, the first hundred colonists will appear on Mars in 2022.
SpaceX is developing reusable rocket engines to transport goods and people in both directions. The interplanetary transport system will ensure the life of the established colony. As a businessman, Elon Musk hopes to profit from the sale of rare metals and precious stones, real estate trading and the results of unique experiments.
NASA plan
In 2017, NASA published a report on support for the long-range manned flight program. It provides detailed research on the ISS, including studying the effects of long stays in space on living beings. Then an interplanetary station will be installed in low-Earth orbit. The last phase will include the actual construction of structures and the establishment of communications via satellite. The mission is planned for the 2030s.
In the comments to the last post, many different versions regarding the colonization of Mars flared up. This article contains more detailed information about each point of the upcoming mission so that you can finally strengthen your point of view on this issue
About the Mars One project
Mars One is a private organization whose task is to establish a colony on Mars using ready-made technologies. This is the first project that plans to finance such a global operation through real-time TV broadcasts, from the selection of astronauts on Earth to the solution of complex technical problems on the surface of Mars.Goals
Many people believe that the desire to explore the solar system is a much more important achievement for all humanity than the local desires of individual nations. Like the Apollo moon landing, the human mission to Mars will teach our generations that anything is possible in this world. The Mars One team not only believes in opportunity this mission, but also that they obliged to do everything possible to accelerate our understanding of the formation of the cosmos, the origins of life, and, just as important, our raison d'être in the universe.Working mission
In 2011, the creation of the first plans began. During the first year, negotiations were held with many space agencies and corporations to test the strength of this idea. The response letters expressed deep interest in the project.Since this would be too expensive for corporations and too risky for government enterprises, Mars One decided to take the path of integrating separate branches of existing technologies.
Technologies
The plan was drawn up taking into account currently existing technologies from reliable suppliers. The project itself is not an aerospace company and does not produce equipment needed for the mission. All equipment will be developed by third parties and then combined into a cohesive whole.A complete mission kit will contain the following:
- Launcher. This type of rocket will be used to deliver payload from earth to orbit (or from orbit to Mars). The plan is to use the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket (an improved version of the Falcon 9 that SpaceX currently uses).
- Mars transit module. The module will be responsible for delivering astronauts to Mars. It will consist of two fuel systems, a landing system and living quarters.
- Descent vehicle. The Mars One team proposes using an expanded version of the DragonCapsule, first tested in 2010. This is the same capsule that successfully docked with the ISS (International Space Station) in May 2012. The Mars mission will require a slightly expanded model of it, which will include:
Life support module, which will contain air, water and energy generation systems
Power module that will contain food
Biosphere module, which will store special inflatable sections that will allow the creation of large living areas on the surface of Mars
A travel module in which astronauts will spend seven months before landing on the planet
Mars Rovers Module
Mars rovers
The role of the rover is planned to use a large semi-autonomous solar-powered system, the tasks of which will include:- Intelligence service
- Quick collection of small vehicles
- Transporting Large Hardware Components
- General assembly of large structures
Martian suit
All astronauts will be required to wear suits when exposed to the Martian atmosphere. Like those used on the Moon, the suits will protect astronauts from extreme temperatures, a thin airless atmosphere and harmful radiation.Communication system
The system will transmit video streams along the chain Mars - communication satellite - EarthHumanity on Mars
Tell you about something like this - “we are going to fly to Mars for permanent life” - you will have questions:- How will astronauts leave Earth? This is crazy!
- How will they prepare for life on Mars?
- What can happen during seven months of travel?
- What will astronauts do when they are away from home?
Emigration to Mars
Buying a one-way ticket is always more profitable than worrying about the return trip, but what do astronauts think about this? It will all depend on who you ask. It is easy to see that most people would rather lose a leg than remain on a cold, dangerous planet, saying “bye-bye” to all their family and friends (with girlfriends translator's note), and knowing that they would never meet them face to face again after the Spartan journey to the Red Planet. However, there are also people for whom traveling to Mars is a long-standing dream of many years. They are ready to meet the planet one on one. For them, this is a unique opportunity to explore a new world, conduct hitherto unknown experiments, build new house for Humanity and face the Unknown.The Mars One team will give everyone the opportunity to join the ranks of astronauts. Are you the one who dreams about it? Then read on to find out what's in store for you! Would you rather lose your leg than take such an adventure? Read on and make sure you make the right choice!
Training
Each astronaut will participate in mandatory ten years of training. It will include numerous aptitude tests in a group of four people. These tests will be carried out in a confined space over several months. The purpose of this is to understand how a certain person reacts to close proximity with the rest of the team. In addition to this, colonizers must learn many new skills. After all, these people will be responsible for every aspect of the Mars colony: repairs, growing crops, and a lot of medical stuff like broken bones. (a dubious phenomenon in the conditions of Martian gravity. approx. translator)One way trip
The flight will take seven months. The astronauts will spend all this time in a very small space - much smaller than what the main base will provide, and without much luxury or frills. This will not be an easy task. A shower is not included in the program in advance - only wet wipes, like those provided to visitors to the International Space Station. The main friends of the astronauts at this time are canned meat, constant noise of fans and a three-hour warm-up. Against such a background, getting caught in a solar storm will be a significant adventure - after all, you can panic a little and hide in a compartment with solar protection for a couple of days. There is no doubt that the trip will be tough, but the astronauts will endure - after all, this is a journey into their dream (dream can be translated as a dream, including in a negative context. approx. translator).Living on Mars
Upon arrival on Mars, the astronauts will move into more comfortable rooms (50 square meters per person, with a total area of 200 for the entire team). These premises will be based on inflatable components - a bedroom, a work area, a living room, and a greenhouse for growing greenery. Thanks to these components, colonists will be able to take a shower like everyone else normal people, prepare fresh food, wear normal clothes and lead an essentially normal lifestyle. The entire complex will be connected by a network of passages, but if someone wants to leave the base, he will need to wear a special suit. Installing a residential complex will not take much time, and as soon as the problem is solved, you can begin construction and research.Construction and research
Several basic life support modules will arrive on Mars along with the first team of settlers. The team's task will also include preparing modules for the following groups of people. All new modules from Earth will gradually connect to the main base. Some of them will be duplicated to provide greater security and simply for comfort. After some time, the colonists will have to worry about building additional housing from local materials.The planet will be rich in the amount of necessary research. Astronauts will begin to study the influence of Mars on plants and their own bodies, and solve many geological and biological problems. Who knows in free time they might wonder: was there life on Mars before them?
Online broadcasts and television
All activities of the astronauts will be broadcast in real time to Earth. You will be able to keep abreast of all recent events (response time is about half an hour, not adjusted for data size approx. translator), and also occasionally listen to the stories of astronauts, who will definitely have something to say. What happens when you come to the surface? What does it mean to “participate in an adventure”? What is it like to experience gravity that is only 40% of Earth's? Answers to these and many other questions will be received very soon.Expansion
New groups of people are planned to be landed on Mars every two years. The size of the settlement will grow steadily. A little later, many of the residential modules will be completed using local materials, so they will be large enough for a comfortable stay. Increasing the settlement will also have a beneficial effect on the condition of the colonists, since they will have opportunities for social life along with hard work.Is it really possible?
Mars One is not the first organization to dream of human flight to Mars. Many had similar plans. And yet, there was no success. Why should Mars One be successful?Emigration
A journey to Mars is a one-way journey. This fundamentally changes mission requirements, completely eliminating the need to return equipment to Earth, resulting in a sharp reduction in flight costs. Mars will become the new home for the colonists, where they will live and work, probably until the end of their days.Although there is a small possibility of returning home, you should not think about it seriously. Returning a person to Earth will require several completed and fully fueled rockets, each capable of a round-trip flight of a total duration of 14 months. It will cost significantly more than a one-way trip.
In addition, do not forget about gravity. After several years of living on Mars, a person will become unable to return to Earth. This is due to irreversible physiological changes in the body, such as decreased bone density, loss muscle strength and a decrease in the potential of the circulatory system. Even after a short trip to the Mir station, the cosmonauts got back on their feet within two years, let alone Mars.
Thus, subject to permanent residence on Mars, all problems boil down to providing the basics for life: clean air, drinking water, food, and artificial support for plant growth (for the first time)
While this all sounds complicated, the Mars One project could actually be realized today. Humanity already possesses the necessary technologies. Much of the data obtained from past space experiments can be applied to this mission.
In addition, Mars contains some essential elements and fossils. For the first settlement, for example, a location was chosen that contained water ice in the soil. This water can be used for drinking, bathing, watering feed crops, and also to create oxygen. Mars has natural sources of nitrogen - the main element of which is in the air (80%) - we breathe.
Solar panels
By using this simple, reliable and abundant energy source, it is possible to completely eliminate the need to develop and run a nuclear reactor, while saving time, money and reducing the risk of use. Solar panels will be a good light source of energy - after all, the colony does not need heavy fuels to launch rockets back. The first settlement will have to cover an area of about 3,000 square meters with solar panels. Although Mars is significantly further from the Sun than Earth, it has a thinner atmosphere. As a result of this compensation, a sufficient amount of energy reaches the surface - about 500 W per square meter (1000 W on the Earth). In the first years, the batteries will be located exclusively on the surface of the planet. As the power decreases due to dust deposits, a special robot will clean them.Simple rovers
By using relatively simple rovers, money is saved that could have been spent on developing more complex systems. The machines were chosen that, although they allow you to comfortably move around the territory, are not capable of maintaining the atmosphere and pressure inside their body - this will be a concern for the Martian suits. This choice is optimal as it significantly reduces the cost of development and delivery. The rover will allow astronauts to travel up to 80 kilometers per day. It's not really about the rover - the battery on board holds a significant amount of energy - but the suits, alas, are not designed for work lasting more than 8 hours. The rover's speed will not exceed 10 km per hour under direct control and will be even lower under automatic control. Although this seems too small, in a year you will be able to explore about 5,000 square kilometers (when calculating, take into account the viewing range and the corresponding route changes. approx. translator). Don't forget also that we are talking about a factory-on-wheels Mars rover.Lack of latest developments
The whole plan revolves around the use of real-life, time-tested technologies. Even if a component is not in stock, it is only a small matter of time, because there is no need to radically change the part. All suppliers confirmed their readiness to build the necessary components right now.Lack of policy
The only selection criterion is the balance of price and quality. The project is not interested in the supplier's nation. This distinguishes it from large corporations, which dictate their external and domestic policy based on a variety of personal factors. Does this provide a significant guarantee of good quality and price? No!Thus, the theoretical basis for the start is quite ready. What's next for us? Time will show.
Based on materials from
Mars, taking into account its orbit, surface and the presence of water ice at the poles, is one of the most attractive space objects for people. On Earth, concerns about the future of humanity are growing every day, and therefore the colonization of Mars is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. We also cannot discount economic interests, which further fuel attention to our distant cosmic brother.
Earth and Mars are relatively similar. A Martian day or sol is very close to an Earth day. A solar day on the fourth planet is 24 hours 30 minutes 35.244 seconds. The area is 28.4% of the Earth's area and is only slightly smaller than the Earth's landmass. The radius is half that of Earth, but the mass is only one tenth.
The axial tilt is 25.19 degrees, while Earth's is 23.44 degrees. As a result, the red planet has seasons similar to those on Earth. But they last almost 2 times longer, since the Martian year is about 1.88 Earth years. And most importantly, there is water on Mars, hidden under a crust of frozen carbon dioxide.
Now let's look at the differences between Mars and Earth. It must be said right away that even extremophile organisms that survive on Earth in hostile conditions cannot withstand the extreme environment that is present on the surface of Mars.
Its surface gravity is 38% of Earth's. It should be noted here that microgravity causes health problems in people. They are losing muscle mass and bone demineralization is observed. Is such a negative effect possible on the surface of the red planet? This is unknown because Scientific research, related to the surface gravity of Mars, have not yet been carried out on Earth.
The fourth planet is much colder than Earth. The average temperature is minus 50 degrees Celsius, while on Earth it is plus 15 degrees Celsius. The amount of solar energy reaching Mars is much less than Earth's, since it is 52% farther from the Sun than Earth. The solar constant is 43.3% of the Earth's.
At the same time, the Martian atmosphere is thinner, and therefore a higher proportion of solar energy reaches the surface. But here we must not forget about year-round dust storms. They are able to block sunlight for a few weeks. The absence of a magnetosphere makes the surface unprotected from the solar wind.
Martian atmospheric pressure is below the Armstrong limit. The atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide. There is also nitrogen (3%), argon (1.6%) and traces of other gases, including oxygen (0.4%). In Martian air, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide is 0.71 kPa, compared to 0.031 kPa on Earth.
Carbon dioxide poisoning (hypercapnia) in humans begins at 0.1 kPa. Even for plants, 0.15 kPa is toxic. This means only one thing - the air on Mars is toxic to plants, animals and humans. And in addition, it should be said that the thin atmosphere is not able to filter out ultraviolet sunlight.
Based on all of the above, a well-founded conclusion arises: Colonization of Mars is quite difficult task . The Martian environment is hostile to humans, and the difference in gravity will have a detrimental effect on health. It will lead to weakening of bones and muscles, osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems.
The psychological factor must also be taken into account. People working on Mars will be tens of millions of kilometers from Earth. If the mission continues for 2.5 years, the crew members will begin to experience feelings of isolation, melancholy, and depression. They will feel as if they are abandoned in space, because the Earth will appear as a tiny bluish-green dot in the Martian sky.
Therefore, it will be of great importance in the colonization of Mars right choice of people. All of them will be required to undergo special psychological training. And when they return to Earth, they will need psychosocial sessions in order to re-enter human society.
Now let's talk about the most important thing - the connection with the Earth. It must be said that Mars already has communications satellites. They will wear out over time and therefore other orbital devices will be needed until new advanced technologies are developed.
The one-way communication delay during the closest approach of the planets is about 8 minutes. And when the planets are at a great distance from each other, it increases to 40 minutes. Also, direct communication is blocked for 2 weeks when the Sun is between the Earth and Mars. But in reality, a complete loss of communication can take up to a whole month.
The only way out in this situation can be a whole cascade of communication satellites. But they will attract cosmic dust and asteroids, which will negatively affect their work. The ideal option would be satellites equipped with ion engines. They will be able to move at low speed in their orbits and ensure continuous communication between Mars and the Earth.
What places on Mars are most suitable for a colony?? The equatorial region is suitable for these purposes. There are many natural caves near volcanoes. These shelters will reliably protect colonists from radiation and micrometeorites. There is also a version that geothermal energy is available in the equatorial region.
The second option is to place the colony in lava tubes. By analogy with the Earth, they must have long passages that will provide complete protection from radiation. A big plus is also that they are easy to seal using local materials, especially in small areas.
In addition to all that has been said, the colonization of Mars involves terraforming. This term means changing the surface and climate of the red planet so that it becomes suitable for human habitation. The conversation is, naturally, about artificial changes in the environment.
Mars does not have a magnetosphere, which buffers the effects of solar radiation and traps an atmosphere. Therefore, to restore the atmosphere and the appearance of liquid water, magnetic poles or an artificial magnetosphere are needed. Japanese scientists have put forward the idea of creating an artificial magnetosphere by constructing cooled latitudinal superconducting rings with a sufficient amount of direct current. There is another theory that suggests the deployment of a magnetic dipole shield at the Lagrange point of Mars L1.
Modeling shows that in the presence of a magnetosphere, an atmosphere will appear on the red planet in a few decades, and its pressure will be equal to half that of Earth. As a result, carbon dioxide frozen at the poles will begin to sublimate, that is, move from a solid to a gaseous state and warm the equator. Ice caps will begin to melt and oceans will appear. This will also be facilitated by volcanic degassing.
At a sufficiently high atmospheric pressure, a person on the surface of Mars will no longer need a special protective pressure suit. He will only need a mask that provides 100% oxygen. The need for protection from solar wind, radiation and extreme cold will also disappear. The situation will be like on Earth, only a person will wear a mask with an oxygen tank.
Thus, the colonization of Mars as part of terraforming involves the creation of a magnetosphere, an atmosphere and an increase in temperature. the main role here carbon dioxide is released, due to which the greenhouse effect will increase, and the formation of the atmosphere and warming will complement each other.
This is all great, but what about oxygen?? I wouldn't want to wear a mask all the time on the Martian surface. The bulk of oxygen is present in the form of carbon dioxide. Oxygen is also found in metal oxides and in soil as nitrates on the surface of the red planet. Analysis of soil samples showed the presence of perchlorate. It is used to release oxygen in chemical oxygen generators. Water can be separated into oxygen and hydrogen by electrolysis if electricity and liquid water are available.
Algae and other greenery can be used to add small amounts of oxygen to the atmosphere. But this will not be enough for people to be able to breathe freely, and for the colonization of Mars to become a comfortable activity.
There is an option to create bio-houses in which oxygen-containing cyanobacteria and photosynthetic algae will multiply to produce molecular oxygen. Such bio-houses will need to be placed on Mars even before its colonization, so that people arriving on the planet will immediately find themselves in an oxygen environment. But this technology is intended only for isolated rooms, but there is no global planetary technology yet.
In conclusion, it should be said that, despite the apparent difficulties and fantastic nature of many projects, a colony on Mars will definitely become a reality. This will happen in the very near future, since technological progress is moving forward by leaps and bounds, and space exploration is a priority. Man will certainly settle down on the fourth planet, and then it will be the turn of other distant planets and satellites.
Vladislav Ivanov
→Today, Mars is the most attractive object for potential colonization. It’s worth starting with the fact that this is the closest planet to Earth (not counting Venus), the flight to which will take only 9 months. In addition, despite the fact that a person cannot be on the surface of Mars without protective equipment, the conditions of the planet are very similar to those on Earth.
First, the surface area of Mars is almost equal to the land area of Earth. Secondly, Martian days are similar to Earth ones and last 24 hours 39 minutes and 35 seconds. In addition, Mars and Earth have almost the same inclination of their axes to the ecliptic plane, as a result of which the seasons also change on Mars. The main factor in the possibility of potential colonization of the planet is the presence of an atmosphere on Mars, although not very dense, which guarantees some protection from radiation and also facilitates landing spaceship. Also, as a result of recent research, the presence of water on the planet has been confirmed, which gives scientists reason to assert the likelihood of the emergence and maintenance of life. Plus, it is worth noting the fact that the parameters of the Martian soil are very similar to the earth’s, so scientists are theoretically considering the possibility of growing plants on the surface of the planet.
However, it is worth noting factors that can greatly complicate the colonization of the red planet. Firstly, this is the force of gravity, which is more than two and a half times less than that of Earth. Secondly, it is a low temperature (the air warms up to a maximum of +30 degrees Celsius at the equator, while in winter at the poles the temperature can drop to -123 degrees). At the same time, the planet is characterized by large annual temperature fluctuations. The planet's magnetic field is approximately 800 times weaker than that of Earth. As for atmospheric pressure, on Mars it is too low for colonists to be on the surface without a special suit.
The atmosphere of Mars is 95 percent carbon dioxide, so initial stages terraforming the planet requires vegetation, with the help of which it would be possible to increase the oxygen content. By the way, the pressure of carbon dioxide may be sufficient to support the life of vegetation on the planet without additional terraforming.
However, for successful colonization of the planet, preliminary terraforming is indispensable. First, it is necessary to achieve atmospheric pressure on Mars at which the existence of liquid water would become possible. Secondly, it is necessary to create an ozone layer that would protect the surface from radiation. Plus, you need to increase the temperature at the equator to at least +10 degrees.
If terraforming is successful, the most favorable places for creating colonies will be lowlands in the equatorial zone. Among such places, scientists note primarily the Hellas Basin (the highest pressure on the planet), as well as the Valles Marineris (the highest minimum temperatures).
The plan for the colonization of Mars attracts humanity primarily because of the large reserves of various minerals on the planet: copper, iron, tungsten, rhenium, uranium and others. The extraction of these elements itself can be much more fruitful than on Earth, since, for example, due to the absence of a biosphere and a high background radiation, thermonuclear charges can be used on a large scale to open ore bodies.
Despite the fact that Mars is the most favorable planet for colonization solar system, many scientists declare the impossibility of implementing the plan for its colonization. One of the arguments is the small amount of elements necessary to support life (hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon). Also, many experts question the practical value of terraforming the planet (since it is not possible to test this experimentally under terrestrial conditions). In addition, many scientists are very frightened by Martian radiation, as well as Martian gravity, the harmful effects of which can lead to various mutations in the human body. Plus, scientists still find it difficult to answer the possible consequences of a long flight (it is quite possible that prolonged stay of people in a confined space can cause serious psychological problems).