MarsBioCrew210

There are multiple challenges to terraforming Mars. It’s pretty close to impossble, and life on Mars will never be easy, as we look at it.

Mars doesn’t have a magnetosphere, its planetary core completely dead. There is nothing protecting the surface from extreme solar radiation, and the ground doesn’t retain heat. The atmosphere is thin and unbreathable. The perchlorate in the soil and the rarety of water will make growing anything a challenge. Mars is also so very far away. The sheer feat of engeneering requiered to make Mars Earth-like is staggering.

It would require substantially less energy and raw resources to fix the problems on Earth and to make it comfortable for all to live, then it would take to make an entirely new planet even a little bit like the home we have now.

Hi! Thank you for your question. Sam here.

The old adage astrobiologist use would be "follow the water". Looking underground, looking in lava tubes, or looking under the ice caps at the poles. We are looking for something small, something microbial.

It would probably be an extremophile, something that can survive extremes like heat, cold, salt or acid. The radiation is very strong on Mars, so underground would offer the necessary shelter to protect tiny organisms.

David here, director of the Green Hab (greenhouse.)

You could potentially grow crops on the surface of Mars but it’ll much more difficult than it is on Earth. Here are a few reasons: 1) Wild temperature fluctuations. During the warmest months, the surface of Mars can reach temperatures up to 20 C during the day and around -73 C during the night. 2) Perchlorate. Perchlorate (ClO4-) is found in abundance in the soil on Mars and eating crops grown in that soil without removing it could cause serious health concerns to humans, as the plants would accumulate this toxic chemical. 3) Maximum solar iridscence on Mars is 59% of Earth’s maximum solar iridscence so photosynthetic potential is limited without spending energy on artificial lighting. The plants biochemical reactions (their metabolism, etc.) is reduced.

Shannon here:

All Mars plans except Mars One (now defuct) have return plans for their expeditions to the red planet. Most of them plan to be on Mars 30 days.

This idea of colonising is romantic and a big dream, but it’s not going to happen for a long time. The first people that will be sent to Mars will be astronauts with full expectations of coming back. If they think Mars is a one way ticket, they have a death wish and they won’t be selected for a Mars Mission.

Paul’s is : “I’m in danger! :)” Mike’s is : “Hi! I’m Troy McClure. You might remember me from...” David’s is : “All the best bands are affiliated with Satan.” Sam’s is : “I’m a level 4 vegan, I don’t eat anything that casts a shadow.”