The Mission to Colonize Mars
A home away from home…
(Yes, I know there aren’t oceans on
Mars, but come on…the background
looks cool)
Outline
• Introduction
– Background information
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Why do we want to try this?
How do we plan on getting there?
How do we make it inhabitable?
Is it possible? Will it happen?
Conclusion
Introduction
• Originally observed as a red star –
represented evil and war
• Became the focus of science
fiction
– Stimulated public interest
• Mariner 3 sent to Mars – 1964
• Viking landers map surface – 1975
– No evidence of life
• Mars pathfinder – 1997
• Meteorite from Mars – signs of life
Images of the Pathfinder landing site
Why do we want to try?
• Earth may someday become uninhabitable
– Overpopulation, resources, environment
• Information about the universe and life
– Implications on our place in the universe
• Larger frontier and different environment
• Developments that may change the way we live
• Symbolism of the advancement and cooperation of
mankind
• Job opportunities and global economy
How do we plan to get there?
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Need: way to get there, place to stay, way
to get back
– Fuel, food, air
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1st year: Send 1 or 2 unmanned ships
– MAV(Mars Ascent Vehicle), ERV(Earth
Return Vehicle), and an unmanned
habitat
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3rd year: Send 1 or 2 unmanned, 1 manned
– Same first ships, last contains four
astronauts
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5th year and every odd year after: repeat
– Continuous habitation on Mars
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MAV produces it’s own fuel from the
atmosphere (Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen
-> Methane)
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Other options: Brute force (one huge ship
with everything), one-way trip (astronauts
never return)
Diagram of the possible missions to
mars discussed (Orbital Rendezvous
with in-situ (on site) propellants ).
How can Mars become habitable?
• Problems:
– Only known water sources in ice caps and permafrost beneath the
surface
– Cannot breathe in current atmosphere
– Weather is much too harsh (average of -60 degree Celsius
temperature, for example)
• Solutions:
– Release manufactured greenhouse gases
• Temperature raises to 0 degrees Celsius and higher
• Frozen carbon dioxide sublimes to gas, increasing pressure and raising
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temperature
Water melts, causing a hydrological cycle
– Microbes released to form a biosphere and produce oxygen
• Moss and plant life begins
Timeline diagram from left to
right of the terraformation of
Mars
Is it possible, and will it happen?
• Based on current ideas and research, it is highly
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possible.
Opposition in the form of cost, purpose, and risk.
– Originally estimated at $450 billion, now estimated
between $20 - $50 billion for three missions.
– Can make it significantly less risky by use of in-situ
propellant and orbital rendezvous.
Plan on making manned-missions
– http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/mission/timeline.html
for timelines and information
Some say it will take no more than 100 years to
terraform, some say almost 1 million. Either way, it will
probably be several decades from now, at least, before
we might begin.
Conclusion
• Colonization of Mars is
certainly possible, and
definitely a consideration for
the future.
• There are many reasons for
colonizing Mars, some very
practical.
• Though colonization will not
likely be seen in our lifetime,
the future could hold a new
Earth-like planet, colonized the
surface-over by humans.
References
• http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.php?p
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age=mars03’
http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/MartianSunTimes/
http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.php?p
age=mars04
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/index0.html
http://wwwgeology.ucdavis.edu/~GEL36/GEL36Honors01/co
st/cost.html