AVO28
Senior Member
- Jan 4, 2018
- 140
- 240
MARS COLONIZATION Is It Important that We Colonize Mars "The Red Planet" ?
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The question of colonizing Mars is definitely one of the more interesting issues of our time. It may not be as pressing and important as some other issues, but, without a doubt, it is as interesting as it gets.
Of course the proponents for Mars colonization - hello, Elon Musk - would highly disagree with the "not important" part of my statement. To them it is not only very important that we start working towards building a sustainable colony on Mars, it is highly imperative.
And just as it is with them, the opponents of Mars colonization would also vehemently agree with the statement of its non importance. They argue that there are numerous other issues that are worth our time other than Mars colonization.
This would indicate, then, that to most people the question of Mars colonization, first and foremost, boils down to importance, which begs the question:
Is It Important that We Colonize Mars?
Among the reasons given for the importance of Mars colonization is the fact that resources on Earth are getting depleted. Concerns are raised about the future of humans on earth and how unsustainable it may be. Proponents also state the economic advantages of a scientific research, as well as other reasons.
Now while all these are reasonable reasons in themselves, opponents have also raised their own cases against Mars colonization, among which are the facts that the mission may end up being a failure and costing way more than is justifiable, humans may end up contaminating Mars, and of course the fact that the Earth perhaps need more fixing, and we should focus on that before we focus on other planets.
According to a survey carried out by the pew research centre, where US adults were told to rank the importance of some of NASA's current missions, mars colonization ended up being ranked eighth on the list, only ahead of the mission to return to the moon.
Mars Colonization Through The Years
So it is safe to say that most Americans do not want us to colonize Mars just yet. But that has not stopped a lot of organisations from trying. Since the 20th century there have been several proposed concepts and timelines by both individuals, governments, and private companies.
Since colonization require permanent adaptation on Mars, with the goal of self-sustenance and expansion, most missions in play right now by NASA do not really fall into the “colonization” category, rather they can be seen more as an exploratory mission.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk has always been an ardent supporter of Mars Colonization, and his company, Space X, is currently in talks of developing a transportation infrastructure that would eventually make colonization of Mars possible. Their goal is to make sure the first humans get to Mars successfully by 2024.
Why Mars?
The idea of Mars colonization is one that has been ongoing for a pretty long time now. But isn't it curious that nobody speaks of Pluto colonization or Jupiter colonisation? well the answer to that is because of the relative similarity between Earth and Mars.
But yes, Mars isn’t the only planet that shares similarity with Earth. Venus is also quite similar in bulk composition as well as surface gravity and in overall size.
Some of the similarities that Mars’s argument more compelling, though, include:
Obviously there are also certain differences between Mars and Earth, example of which include the facts that:
1. It is extremely difficult for plants and animals to survive on Mars.
2. Surface gravity on Mars is 38% that of Earth. This means that there is a chance it may pose certain health risks to humans, such as muscle loss and bone demineralization.
3. Mars's climate is much colder than Earth's and it is very scarce to find water on Mars.
How Much Would a Trip to Mars Cost?
Everyone would like to go to Mars, maybe relax a little and then come back to Earth. Some would even like to spend the rest of their days there. But as it happens that isn't going to happen for a while.
There are many reasons for this, definitely, but one of the most pressing is the finances. It is pretty expensive to send people to Mars, and even a lot more expensive (and at the moment quite impossible) to bring them back.
As at the moment this article was published, the cost per launch of up to 4,020kg of payload from Earth to Mars is 62 million dollars.
And of course just one launch would obviously not do. For a successful colonization lots and lots of payload would be required to be delivered.
But also it should be worth noting that some radical methods are being developed that could significantly lower the cost of launch in the mid to late 2020's. And of course there are some economic benefits to be gotten from the voyage, assuming it all goes well.
The Ethics and Politics of Colonizing Mars
When it comes to colonization, there will always be the discussion of ethics, and then of course, political considerations. Right now it is unclear how landing on Mars would affect a lot of policies and politics. It is sure to shake up inter-governmental relations, though, and that of private bodies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Conclusion
The topic of Mars colonization is an interesting one to consider, seeing as we may be getting closer than we realize. While it isn’t quite possible yet, the discussion is one that is sure to keep popping up more and more in the coming times.
===
The question of colonizing Mars is definitely one of the more interesting issues of our time. It may not be as pressing and important as some other issues, but, without a doubt, it is as interesting as it gets.
Of course the proponents for Mars colonization - hello, Elon Musk - would highly disagree with the "not important" part of my statement. To them it is not only very important that we start working towards building a sustainable colony on Mars, it is highly imperative.
And just as it is with them, the opponents of Mars colonization would also vehemently agree with the statement of its non importance. They argue that there are numerous other issues that are worth our time other than Mars colonization.
This would indicate, then, that to most people the question of Mars colonization, first and foremost, boils down to importance, which begs the question:
Is It Important that We Colonize Mars?
Among the reasons given for the importance of Mars colonization is the fact that resources on Earth are getting depleted. Concerns are raised about the future of humans on earth and how unsustainable it may be. Proponents also state the economic advantages of a scientific research, as well as other reasons.
Now while all these are reasonable reasons in themselves, opponents have also raised their own cases against Mars colonization, among which are the facts that the mission may end up being a failure and costing way more than is justifiable, humans may end up contaminating Mars, and of course the fact that the Earth perhaps need more fixing, and we should focus on that before we focus on other planets.
According to a survey carried out by the pew research centre, where US adults were told to rank the importance of some of NASA's current missions, mars colonization ended up being ranked eighth on the list, only ahead of the mission to return to the moon.
Mars Colonization Through The Years
So it is safe to say that most Americans do not want us to colonize Mars just yet. But that has not stopped a lot of organisations from trying. Since the 20th century there have been several proposed concepts and timelines by both individuals, governments, and private companies.
Since colonization require permanent adaptation on Mars, with the goal of self-sustenance and expansion, most missions in play right now by NASA do not really fall into the “colonization” category, rather they can be seen more as an exploratory mission.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk has always been an ardent supporter of Mars Colonization, and his company, Space X, is currently in talks of developing a transportation infrastructure that would eventually make colonization of Mars possible. Their goal is to make sure the first humans get to Mars successfully by 2024.
Why Mars?
The idea of Mars colonization is one that has been ongoing for a pretty long time now. But isn't it curious that nobody speaks of Pluto colonization or Jupiter colonisation? well the answer to that is because of the relative similarity between Earth and Mars.
But yes, Mars isn’t the only planet that shares similarity with Earth. Venus is also quite similar in bulk composition as well as surface gravity and in overall size.
Some of the similarities that Mars’s argument more compelling, though, include:
- Time: The time on Mars is quite similar to earth in its daily duration. As we all know, a day on Earth is 24 hours. A day on Mars is 24 hours, 39 minutes and a few seconds.
- Surface Area: The surface area of Mars is about 28% that of Earth, which is only slightly lesser in terms of dry land.
- Others: other similarities include the seasons, which are almost similar, though seasons on Mars tend to last twice as long. And also Mars has been confirmed to contain Water Ice.
Obviously there are also certain differences between Mars and Earth, example of which include the facts that:
1. It is extremely difficult for plants and animals to survive on Mars.
2. Surface gravity on Mars is 38% that of Earth. This means that there is a chance it may pose certain health risks to humans, such as muscle loss and bone demineralization.
3. Mars's climate is much colder than Earth's and it is very scarce to find water on Mars.
How Much Would a Trip to Mars Cost?
Everyone would like to go to Mars, maybe relax a little and then come back to Earth. Some would even like to spend the rest of their days there. But as it happens that isn't going to happen for a while.
There are many reasons for this, definitely, but one of the most pressing is the finances. It is pretty expensive to send people to Mars, and even a lot more expensive (and at the moment quite impossible) to bring them back.
As at the moment this article was published, the cost per launch of up to 4,020kg of payload from Earth to Mars is 62 million dollars.
And of course just one launch would obviously not do. For a successful colonization lots and lots of payload would be required to be delivered.
But also it should be worth noting that some radical methods are being developed that could significantly lower the cost of launch in the mid to late 2020's. And of course there are some economic benefits to be gotten from the voyage, assuming it all goes well.
The Ethics and Politics of Colonizing Mars
When it comes to colonization, there will always be the discussion of ethics, and then of course, political considerations. Right now it is unclear how landing on Mars would affect a lot of policies and politics. It is sure to shake up inter-governmental relations, though, and that of private bodies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Conclusion
The topic of Mars colonization is an interesting one to consider, seeing as we may be getting closer than we realize. While it isn’t quite possible yet, the discussion is one that is sure to keep popping up more and more in the coming times.