The Case for Going to Mars
Mars is, by any measure, a deeply hostile world. Its average surface temperature sits around -60°C, its thin atmosphere provides almost no radiation shielding, and its air is 95% carbon dioxide — unbreathable by humans. And yet, serious scientists, engineers, and space agencies are working toward putting permanent human settlements there. Why? Because Mars represents humanity's best near-term candidate for becoming a multi-planetary species.
Challenge 1: The Journey Itself
Getting to Mars takes between six and nine months with current propulsion technology, depending on the alignment of the two planets. During that journey, astronauts face:
- Continuous cosmic radiation exposure without Earth's protective magnetic field
- Severe physiological deconditioning from months of microgravity
- Psychological strain from isolation, confinement, and communication delays (up to 24 minutes each way)
Potential solutions: Advanced radiation shielding materials, artificial gravity through spacecraft rotation, and robust psychological support protocols. Faster propulsion — including nuclear thermal or nuclear electric drives — could significantly cut travel time and reduce cumulative radiation exposure.
Challenge 2: Radiation on the Surface
Mars lacks a global magnetic field and has only a thin atmosphere, meaning its surface receives far higher radiation doses than Earth. Data from the Curiosity rover's Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) confirmed that surface radiation on Mars is well above what is considered safe for long-term human habitation without protection.
Potential solutions: Underground or cave habitats, thick regolith-covered structures, and possibly geomagnetically shielded settlement sites. Water is also an excellent radiation absorber, so water walls in habitat structures are under serious investigation.
Challenge 3: Producing Food and Water
A Mars colony cannot survive on resupply missions from Earth — the economics and logistics make it impossible. The colony must produce its own food and recover water locally.
- Water: Mars is known to have water ice at its poles and just below the surface at various latitudes. Extracting, melting, and purifying this ice is technically feasible with the right equipment.
- Food: Controlled-environment agriculture using LED lighting and hydroponics could grow crops in pressurised habitats. Experiments aboard the ISS have already demonstrated that plants like lettuce, radishes, and peppers can grow successfully in space.
Challenge 4: Breathable Atmosphere
The MOXIE experiment aboard NASA's Perseverance rover has already demonstrated that oxygen can be produced from Mars's CO₂ atmosphere through a process called solid oxide electrolysis. A scaled-up version of this technology could provide oxygen both for breathing and — critically — as a rocket propellant oxidiser for the return journey.
Challenge 5: Psychological and Social Factors
Perhaps the least-discussed challenge is also one of the most profound. A Mars colony is, by definition, isolated. Communication delays make real-time conversation with Earth impossible. Colonists must resolve conflicts, make medical decisions, and govern themselves with minimal external guidance.
Research from Antarctic winter-over stations and submarine deployments has provided some insight into how small groups cope with extreme isolation, but Mars will present these challenges at an entirely new scale and permanence.
In-Situ Resource Utilisation: The Key to Sustainability
The overarching principle that makes a Mars colony viable is ISRU — In-Situ Resource Utilisation: using materials already present on Mars rather than shipping everything from Earth. This includes:
- Mining regolith for construction materials
- Extracting water ice for drinking, agriculture, and fuel production
- Producing oxygen from the atmosphere
- Potentially manufacturing rocket propellant on Mars for the return trip
ISRU transforms Mars from a destination into a resource-rich environment — and that shift in perspective is what makes long-term colonisation conceivable.
The Timeline Is Uncertain — But the Work Has Begun
Whether the first crewed Mars landing happens in the 2030s or 2040s depends on political will, funding, and the pace of technology development. But the foundational work is genuinely underway. Rovers are scouting, experiments are running, and engineers around the world are solving the problems that will one day make Mars home to human beings.