Introduction

Mars is covered in a fine, lifeless red dust with the occasional slush of water-ice in what are Mar’s more temperate zones. Magnetically weak, no insect crawls there, and although devoid of life would serve humanity as a tool to the Jovian riches beyond Mar’s trajectory. Mars would be a handy tool for space living some time soon.

Dusty, Functional and Basic

Image via Wikipedia

 

Humanity has witnesses incredible scenery beamed back from Earth’s next-door neighbor, Mars. Discovering Mars is discovering the fourth, “terrestrial,” or Earth-like planet in the Solar System. Once scientists thought there were canals of water on Mars but with clear images we spy a dusty, red ball without any flows. What could we do with Mars? Mars would be the perfect sling-shot for spaceships to the Jovian System. Her size and gravity could fire-off our ships thus saving fuel.

 

A single simple human habitation on Mars and in her sky, servicing space-stations filled with Jovian migrants, would bring Mars to life.

 

 

Image via Wikipedia

Mars Is Weak

Mars, surprisingly, has little magnetism compared with the other planets. It’s as if Mars is drained of any energy or attraction for reasons scientists on Earth cannot explain.  A magnetic field, or lack of it, plays a curious and unknown role in Mar’s history. In any case, Mars is just a spectacular, red dusty ball with no life apparent. A space station in Mar’s orbit would be simply a dock for migrants from Earth heading for the nearby ginormous riches-filled Jupiter.

 

Of Course There is Water on Mars

Water cannot flow on Mars as it’s too cold. It may flow deep underground where conditions are warmer as there is plenty of ice; Mars has permafrost and ice-caps like the Earth. Mars is about half the size of Earth, without a magnetic field, and is said to be basalt.  No insects crawl on Mar’s surface which appears dead. One hypothesis, though, is that some forms of bacterium, lichen or moss grow there underground as there is definitely ice and water under the Martian crust.

 

Mars also has weather with clouds and storms. Living on Mars would be a relatively weightless affair; gravity on Mars is half the Earth’s. A land-based station could be built there.

 

 

Image via Wikipedia

Olympus Mons and  Valles Marineris

The mightiest mountain and the deepest canyon in our Solar System are on Mars. The place is rich in iron which could provide Earth with a vital resource for progress – steel. The geography of Mars revealed in the three orbiting man-made satellites show it a red and wild place with amazing geography. All this appears to have formed eon ago from volcanic and water paroxysms.

 

That Infernal Red Dust

Image via Wikipedia

 

The surface of Mars is covered in a fine dust that humans may find annoying. Recent speculation that Martian dust could get in everything, as anyone from an iron-ore mine would attest, could pose a significant threat to settling on Mar’s surface. Imaging having to deal daily with a fine, red dust that you simply cannot get out of your clothes, hair, skin etc? Stations and space suits would have to be designed, accordingly, for this noise some red soot.

 

Candidate A

Mars is the fist candidate for human settlement beyond the Earth because:

·      She’s close to Earth

·      A land-base or space-base near Mars could be humanity’s, “first-baby-steps,” to Solar system settlements

·      Some extreme weather places on Earth match conditions on Mars.

 

Once Mars is mastered, the planet would then be just a stepping stone, to a vaster human settlement around abundant Jupiter. 

 

Living or Livid?

As Mars is a lifeless ball of ice and iron settlement there would be hard. The best choice would be a simple, space and land station of modest size purely for scientific research. It would probably be best for us to, “Do Not Pass Go and Do Not Collect $200″ and shoot straight to Jupiter. Mars, although utterly barren, is the perfect place for a lab.

 

Haiku for Mars

Image by jasonb42882 via Flickr

 

Ruddy iron ball

Similar in size and shape

But barren of all.

 

More Planets Alive:

Part One – Neptune

Part Two – Uranus

Part Three – Saturn

Part Four – Jupiter