Challenges mankind faces in establishing human colonies on MARS

Space agencies and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are working hard towards achieving their dreams of establishing humans as a multi-planetary species, one they believe is key to the long-term longevity of our species.

Of all the planets out there, there is a lot of optimism around the planet Mars, and scientists are looking for ways to get humans to Mars. However, landing safely on Mars is just the beginning of the colonizing Mars challenge; there are more challenges that mankind faces in establishing human colonies on MARS.

The composition of Mars’ atmosphere is very different from that of Earth, so humans would have a hard time breathing. Earth’s atmosphere is composed of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 1 percent argon and trace amounts of other gases, including CO2. Mars, on the other hand, has about 95 percent CO2, less than 3 percent nitrogen, less than 2 percent argon and only 0.2 percent oxygen. So, Mars lacks the levels of oxygen and nitrogen a human being needs to breathe, and with far too much carbon dioxide, Martian air would quickly kill a human without proper equipment.

Mars also has much thinner atmosphere than Earth, which would have to change for humans to live comfortably on the planet. The planet’s weak magnetic field means it is unable to retain as much gas around its surface. Earth’s atmosphere acts like a layer of blankets, keeping its surface at a habitable temperature, 58 degrees Fahrenheit on average. Mars has a much thinner blanket, so the surface rests at -81 degrees Fahrenheit.

Liquid water is also scarce on Mars. Geological evidence suggests that prolific amounts of water used to flow across the surface, carving out characteristic patterns of rivers and lakes. But today, the only water on Mars is frozen in its polar caps, as well as in trace amounts as frozen clouds. Mars’ weak gravity and magnetic field explain why it has not retained as much water as Earth.

The higher gravity of the Earth essentially holds on tighter to the atmospheric gases, including water vapor, which the low gravity on Mars is unable to do.

The low gravity of Mars also poses a challenge to human colonizers. We know that long exposure to the zero gravity of space causes bones and muscles to deteriorate; astronauts have difficulty after being in space for a year adjusting to earth’s gravity. Humans will face similar problems living on a planet with reduced gravity, like Mars.

Several scientists and thinkers have stated that becoming a multi-planetary species is a necessary step for the human species to ensure their long-term survival. Climate change is already showing extreme effects on our planet. Skeptics, however, question whether our time, money, and brain power could be better spent tackling the survival challenges facing earth’s current inhabitants.

However, despite the initial promise, colonizing Mars remains a difficult challenge for humans. Several planetary characteristics must be adjusted for human life to survive once humans land on earth: at a minimum these include low oxygen, thin atmosphere, cold temperatures, and low gravity.