Is Mars Colonization a Good Idea?
Among celestial bodies in our solar system, Mars is remarkable in that it possesses all the raw resources required to sustain not only life, but a new branch of individual evolution.
The time to colonize Mars would certainly be required when the Earth becomes uninhabitable as the global warming rises up. When that happens, Mars has the potential to become the most habitable planet in our solar system. Nevertheless, even with positive extrapolation of robotic manufacturing techniques, Mars will not have the labor required to make it fully self-sufficient; until and unless its population is in millions. Thus it will be necessary for colonization of Mars to import goods from Earth.
Benefits
There are many prospects…show more content… Similarity to Earth
Mars also has an axial tilt that is very similar to Earth’s; in a way it has the same essential seasonal patterns as our planet. Most important, Mars has water in form of frozen underground and polar caps. Evidences have shown that this water has flooded the surface of Mars in liquid form.
Almost similar to Earth, a day on Mars is 24.5 hours long. Mars is a third the size of Earth, but has the seven continents combined. Being next to Earth in solar system, Mars has almost the same heat range as Earth.
2. Location
As known, Mars is relatively close to the Earth. Mars reside between the asteroid belt and our planet Earth. Its distance from Sun is appropriate to get advantage from its heat and light and is far enough to be confined from any significant modify in the sun's heat output.
3. Potential for Scientific Research
Mars is exciting because it offers scientists a vision of how planets grow. Mars is billions of years older than the Earth, and its characteristics are much more inflated. With its similarity to Earth, there is a strong possibility that bacterial life (or something more?) exists on the planet.
4. Beginning of New…show more content… However, in the end Mars will be for everyone. There would be no boundaries on Mars like the one which has been set up currently in our Earth. Thus, Mars could be the establishment of a new period in human diplomacy.
5. Economic Stability
The research on Mars has shown the availability of rare metals such as gold, platinum, silver, and others on Mars. Thus, shipment from Mars to Earth would be much easier than from Earth to Mars. The proximity of the asteroid belt to Mars is much more promising. For example, Dactyl, the moon orbiting the asteroid Ida contains more iron that the human on earth has used from entire existence. These asteroids can be mined near Mars and shipped for low cost to planet. Thus Mars promises economic potential if colonized.
From the above mentioned points, aset up of settlement on Mars is not far-off. However, still the question remains in everyone’s mind that if colony on Mars would be self-sufficient? Still there are many challenges which need to be addressed.
Challenges
The average surface temperature of Mars may be the condition required for hospitability however, the temperature in midday can be fairly close to 20 °C but at nighttime temperature can be as low as -70