The simple mention of Mars has always sparked our imagination, driving humans on an unstoppable mission to uncover the secrets of the Red Planet. With the growing fascination for exploring outer space, it’s only natural to wonder if we can live on Mars. In this blog, we will explore this captivating topic, examining the potential and challenges of life away from Earth.
The Never-ending Human Fascination with Mars
Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has long captivated the human imagination with its reddish hue and its potential for harbouring extraterrestrial life. The fascination with Mars can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where early astronomers observed its movements and associated it with gods and legends. In more recent history, the concept of exploring Mars gained momentum with the advancements in telescopes and scientific understanding.
The space age in the 20th century brought about a significant shift, as space agencies like NASA and international counterparts embarked on robotic missions to unravel the mysteries of the red planet. The iconic images of the Martian surface captured by rovers like Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity only fueled our curiosity and deepened our desire to set foot in this neighbouring world.
The Quest for Life on Mars
With our growing knowledge and technological advancements, the question of establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars has emerged as a topic of intense scientific and public interest. Beyond the realm of science fiction, the idea of humans living and thriving on Mars has become a realistic possibility.
From the Viking missions in the 1970s, which first captured close-up images of the Martian surface and conducted experiments to search for signs of life, this section explores the Mar’s geology, atmosphere, and the possibility of ancient water, and life.
- The Mars Pioneers – Viking 1 and Viking 2 (1975)
The Viking 1 and Viking 2 missions were groundbreaking endeavours that marked the first successful attempts to land spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Launched by NASA in the summer of 1975, these twin missions aimed to unravel the mysteries of the Red Planet and search for signs of extraterrestrial life.
The Viking 1 spacecraft touched down on Mars on July 20, 1976, in the Chryse Planitia region, while Viking 2 landed on September 3, 1976, in the Utopia Planitia region. Each Viking mission consisted of an orbiter and a lander, working together to conduct extensive scientific investigations.
The landers were equipped with an array of instruments designed to study the Martian environment and search for any indications of life. They carried out biology experiments to test for metabolic activity in the soil and conducted gas chromatography to analyze the composition of the Martian atmosphere. The landers also included cameras to capture images of the Martian surface and a robotic arm to collect and analyze soil samples.
The biology experiments conducted by the Viking landers did not definitively detect any signs of life. Some of the results suggested the possibility of biological activity, but other measurements contradicted these findings. The lack of conclusive evidence regarding the existence of life on Mars remained a mystery.
- The NASA Mars Rover Program
The exploration of Mars reached new heights with the advent of the Mars Rover program, which introduced a trio of remarkable rovers:
- Sojourner (1997)
- Spirit and Opportunity (2004)
- Curiosity (2012)
- Presernvance (2020)
These robotic pioneers revolutionized our understanding of the Red Planet and left an indelible mark on the history of Mars exploration.
Sojourner (1997)
Sojourner was the first-ever Mars rover, a small but mighty vehicle that made a significant impact on our understanding of the Red Planet. It was part of NASA’s Mars Pathfinder mission, which landed on Mars in 1997. Sojourner was equipped with a suite of scientific instruments to analyze rocks and soil, study the atmosphere, and capture close-up images.
This rover successfully explored the Ares Vallis region of Mars, providing valuable data on the planet’s geology and weather patterns. Sojourner operated for about three months, exceeding its planned mission duration and solidifying the foundation for future Mars exploration.
Spirit and Opportunity (2004)
Spirit and Opportunity were twin rovers launched by NASA in 2004 as part of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. Their primary objective was to investigate the geological history and potential for past water activity on Mars. These rovers were designed to endure the harsh Martian environment and operate for 90 Martian days (sols), equivalent to roughly three months.
Spirit landed successfully in Gusev Crater in January 2004 and began its mission, while Opportunity touched down on the Meridiani Planum in January 2004, on the opposite side of Mars. Both rovers far exceeded their expected lifespan and accomplished extraordinary feats. They roamed the Martian surface, traversing impressive distances, and captured breathtaking images of the alien landscape.
These rovers also made significant scientific discoveries. Spirit, for instance, examined rocks and soil, providing evidence of past water activity in the Gusev Crater. Opportunity, on the other hand, uncovered signs of ancient, habitable environments at Meridiani Planum, with indications of water-rich conditions that could have supported microbial life.
Spirit operated until 2010, traversing the Martian terrain and discovering evidence of a past environment that could have supported microbial life. Opportunity, on the other hand, continued its remarkable journey until 2018, uncovering crucial evidence of ancient water and contributing significantly to our understanding of Mars’ history.
Curiosity (2012)
In August 2012, NASA’s most ambitious rover, Curiosity, touched down on Mars Gale Crater. Unlike its predecessors, Curiosity was a car-sized rover equipped with advanced scientific instruments and tools capable of performing in-depth analyses.
Curiosity’s mission objectives were to assess the planet’s past and present habitability, explore the geological record, and investigate the potential for life-sustaining conditions. Since its arrival, Curiosity has made significant discoveries, including evidence of an ancient freshwater lake in Gale Crater and the detection of organic molecules—building blocks of life—within Martian rocks.
Perseverance (2020)
Perseverance, NASA’s most recent Mars rover, landed on the Red Planet in February 2021 as part of the Mars 2020 mission. This rover is designed to seek signs of ancient microbial life, collect and store rock samples for a future return mission to Earth, and demonstrate technologies for future human exploration of Mars.
Perseverance is equipped with advanced scientific instruments, including a drill to collect samples, a spectrometer to analyze mineralogy, and a ground-penetrating radar to study Mars’ subsurface. It also carries the Ingenuity helicopter, which successfully demonstrated powered flight on another planet.
As of 2023, Perseverance has been active on Mars for 808 sols (830 Earth days, or 2 years, 3 months and 11 days) since its landing. Following the rover’s arrival, NASA named the landing site Octavia E. Perseverance’s mission is ongoing, and it promises to unlock further mysteries about Mars’ past and potential for life.
The contributions of the Mars Rover Revolution have paved the way for future missions and the ultimate goal of sending humans to explore the Red Planet.
- The InSight Mission: Exploring the Martian Interior (2018)
The InSight mission represents a groundbreaking way aimed at unravelling the secrets of the Martian interior. Launched by NASA in May 2018, InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, carries sophisticated instruments designed to study the deep inner workings of Mars.
Since its successful landing on Mars in November 2018, the InSight mission has yielded remarkable findings. It has detected and measured several hundred marsquakes, shedding light on the activity and geological processes occurring beneath the Martian surface. These seismic events have revealed important details about the planet’s crust, mantle, and core, offering scientists a clearer understanding of Mars’ structure and how it compares to Earth.
- MOXIE (2021)
Compared to Earth, Mars has a very thin atmosphere with less than 1% of the air we’re used to. It’s like being in a balloon 100,000 feet high in the sky. Not only is the air thin, but it’s mostly made up of carbon dioxide (CO2).
On Earth, we have plants and trees that convert CO2 into oxygen, providing us with the air we breathe. We also use water to sustain ourselves. However, Mars doesn’t have this natural oxygen-producing process. To sustain life on Mars, we need to create the oxygen ourselves. That’s where MOXIE comes in.
MOXIE stands for Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. It is an instrument carried by NASA’s Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021. MOXIE is designed to demonstrate a key technology for future human exploration of Mars: the production of oxygen from the carbon dioxide-rich Martian atmosphere.
The goal of MOXIE is to convert the carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Martian atmosphere into oxygen (O2) through a process called solid oxide electrolysis. This is accomplished by using high temperatures to separate oxygen atoms from carbon dioxide molecules. The instrument takes in Martian air, compresses it, and then uses electricity to split the carbon dioxide molecules, producing pure oxygen as a byproduct.
MOXIE is an important step towards demonstrating the viability of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on Mars, where local resources are utilized to support human activities. By proving that we can generate oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, MOXIE contributes to the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars and paves the way for future missions and potential colonization efforts.
Final Words
While it’s difficult to predict with absolute certainty, there are promising signs that suggest we may one day achieve a sustainable existence on the Red Planet.
Advancements in technology and our ever-growing knowledge of Mars have brought us closer to understanding the challenges we would face in establishing a practical life there. From developing efficient means of transportation and communication to overcoming harsh environmental conditions, scientists and engineers are continuously working towards finding solutions.
The practicality of life on Mars is still a subject of ongoing research and exploration, but there is reason to be hopeful. With the advancements we are making and the passion that drives us forward, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that one day we will witness a thriving human presence on the Red Planet.
