Colonization of Mars Essay Example

Colonization of Mars Essay Example Colonization of Mars Essay Colonization of Mars Essay Colonization of Mars What does a planet need to have in order to support life? Earth is unique in our solar system because it is the only planet that is supporting life. Some scientists go so far as to say that the Earth is a â€Å"perfect planet† because it has features that are the perfect environment for living organisms; these features include our atmosphere, water, and a single moon. Earth is also in a place in our solar system where the Sun gives off the right amount of energy to drive the life. The distance from the Earth to the Sun determines how much of that heat we receive. If it weren’t for our ozone layer and Earth’s magnetic field, harmful rays would penetrate our surface and life would be exterminated. Everything the Earth has to offer us is balanced perfectly to keep life continuous. Humans would not be able survive on planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune because those planets are Gas Giants. There is no surface, the planet is made up entirely of gas and atmosphere and the cores would thus most likely be liquid. Mercury, the innermost planet in our solar system, is a terrestrial planet which means it has a hard rocky surface. And although that is true*, humans still would not be able to live on Mercury. There is no atmosphere and because Mercury’s distance is substantially closer to the Sun, temperatures are exceedingly high. Venus is the second planet from Sun and is also a terrestrial planet. The size and mass of Venus is relative to Earth in that they are similar under those characteristics. But due to Venus’ dense carbon dioxide atmosphere, living on its surface would be quite impossible. Venus also has dense sulfur dioxide clouds which makes this planet have the strongest greenhouse effect. And because of this Venus is actually hotter in temperature than Mercury. But what about Mars? Are we able to colonize and inhabit the planet Mars? Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, roughly 1. 5 AU and it is a terrestrial planet with characteristics similar to that of Earth *except the size*. It has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, that orbit close to the planet. When compared to Earth, Mars is a relatively small planet. It is approximately half the size in diameter and one/tenth the mass. Because of Earth’s strong atmosphere and magnetic field we are able to withstand cosmic radiation as opposed to Mars which has a very thin atmosphere and a weaker magnetic field. There are geological similarities between Mars and Earth and our Moon. Impact craters and evidence of volcanic activity is reminiscent of the Moon and polar ice caps are like that of Earth. Other similarities between Mars and Earth include the surface area, that being almost the exact same as the dry land on Earth. In addition to these geographical features, the seasonal cycles and rotational periods are similar to Earth’s as well. Of all the planets in our solar system, Mars is the most Earth-like. There is a debate amongst scientists and astronomers about whether or not Mars can sustain life. According to Trudy E. Bell’s and Tony Phillips’ â€Å"Once Upon a Water Planet†, Mars has the most capability of harboring life because of the ice water found by the Phoenix Mars Lander. Phoenix was sent to gather information about the past and potential of Mars being habitable. It has two main objectives while scouting: searching for the best places for humans to inhabit and to look for ice-water. And it has thus far given us data that we need, having landed near the Northern polar cap where it was proven that ice-water does indeed exists***. With this much information given the thought of terraforming the planet does not seem so far-stretched. There are reasons for the hypothetical process of expanding Human life. Firstly, the population of the Earth is growing to immense amounts and the ratio of population to sustainable resources is thinning**. Another reason is the Sun. We all know that eventually our Sun will become a red giant star, but even before that we have an issues**. All the stars in the main sequences become increasingly brighter throughout their life-period which will cause Humans to migrate to other places that can sustain life, if they want to survive. The demands for resources pressure humans to thinking outside-the-box in regards to relocating or creating not habitual places*. Suggestions for these places are areas such as the ocean, sea-floor, the moon, and of course Mars. Right now, people would not be able to live on Mars, because of its thin atmosphere and lack of green and liquidized water*. One way to go about terraforming Mars would be to build a stronger atmosphere. We would send rockets of chemical compounds that are strong with greenhouse gases; the rockets we would send for these chemical compounds would have to be sustained for just over a decade for the process to really flourish and for the planet to become warmer. Mars would inevitably become so warm that the polar caps solidify, although still not able to develop liquid water. There will come a point when the dust storms die down, and then the planet will finally be able to sustain small forms of life, such as algae and bacteria. There are plenty of ideas that scientists are brainstorming. But a person doesn’t wake up one morning and think â€Å"I’m going to move to Mars today†. Migrating humans to Mars is difficult on many levels, that being the terraforming and equipment needed. But there is also the psychological aspect. The demands placed upon the humans will be harsh and brutal. The people would have to be chosen for very specific and diligent reasons, looking closely at each persons‘ attribute and skill. They would have to get along with each other, for one. You don’t want to put a group of people that don’t get along into a confined spacecraft for several months. They will have to be optimistic people, who understand the treacherous journey ahead of them. The team will have to endure all sorts of tests; tests in a physical sense and mental sense. The task to colonize seems impossible but with scientists and astronomers working harder than ever on this topic, the thought does not seem so far stretched. Work Cited Educational , Mission To Mars. Mars Academy. November 6th, 2008 http://library. thinkquest. org/11147/index. htm. Ashish Jain, Matt Struck, Neil Christopher, Mars General Information. November 2nd, 2008 . American Scientist Online: The Magazine of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.  © Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. November 2nd, 2008 . Ahrens, Peter. Terraforming of Worlds. November 3rd, 2008 . Fogg, Martyn J. . Terraforming Mars: A Review of Research. November 8th, 2008 .