The Next Frontier for Humanity
Mars offers a unique opportunity to become a multi-planetary species. With potential water sources, a 24.6-hour day, and accessible terrain, it's our best chance to create a new home beyond Earth.
In one billion years, the sun will produce 10% more light, and the temperature on Earth will be too high to support human life. (Average 335K/60.3C) The temperature on Mars will be comfortable to support Human life for up to 3 billion years.
We will travel to Mars on a huge cruise ships with artificial gravity. Ships like Starship of SpaceX will just supply the spaceship with artificial gravity in Earth and Mars orbit.
Current conditions in the Martian atmosphere, at less than 1 kPa (0.15 psi) of atmospheric pressure, are significantly below the Armstrong limit of 6 kPa (0.87 psi) where very low pressure causes exposed bodily liquids such as saliva, tears, and the liquids wetting the alveoli within the lungs to boil away. Without a pressure suit, no amount of breathable oxygen delivered by any means will sustain oxygen-breathing life for more than a few minutes. In the NASA technical report Rapid (Explosive) Decompression Emergencies in Pressure-Suited Subjects, after exposure to pressure below the Armstrong limit, a survivor reported that his "last conscious memory was of the water on his tongue beginning to boil". In these conditions humans die within minutes unless a pressure suit provides life support. If Mars' atmospheric pressure could rise above 19 kPa (2.8 psi), then a pressure suit would not be required. Visitors would only need to wear a mask that supplied 100% oxygen under positive pressure. A further increase to 24 kPa (3.5 psi) of atmospheric pressure would allow a simple mask supplying pure oxygen. This might look similar to mountain climbers who venture into pressures below 37 kPa (5.4 psi), also called the death zone, where an insufficient amount of bottled oxygen has often resulted in hypoxia with fatalities. However, if the increase in atmospheric pressure was achieved by increasing CO2 (or other toxic gas) the mask would have to ensure the external atmosphere did not enter the breathing apparatus. CO2 concentrations as low as 1% cause drowsiness in humans. Concentrations of 7% to 10% may cause suffocation, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen. In 2021, the NASA Mars rover Perseverance was able to make oxygen on Mars. However, the process is complex and takes a considerable amount of time to produce a small amount of oxygen.
So our main goal is to increase the Mars atmosphere to at least 0.21 bar, so people could breathe with pure oxygen. To do so, we can use a few different processes:
NASA designed technology that allows us to extract Oxygen from Lunar Soil. This should work with Martian soil, too.
The lunar regolith consists mostly of SiO2, the same as Mars soil, so technically it contains up to 53% oxygen.
Here is the video that describes the technology of oxygen extraction:
To protect the Martian atmosphere, we should build a Magnetic shield at the L1 point between Mars and the Sun.
It is possible to build a space elevator on Mars, but first, we should move Phobos to Mars' stationary orbit.
If we don't move the Phobos to a stationary orbit, it will collapse into rings by Martian gravity in about 10,000,000 years.
Colonizing Mars is a dangerous, complex, and lengthy process, but the benefits we gain are worth the effort.