Life On Planet Mars

Copyright (c) 2012 Morgan D

Scientists are now relishing in one of their greatest achievements in scientific history: "Tears of joy are what greeted Curiosity's landing on mars". The successful landing of the 'Mars rover curiosity', on the moon has given earthlings a chance in understanding life on mars, not forgetting the possibility of living on the red planet in the near future. The rover will search for signs of life and also look for habitats that could have once supported life. According to Anand, Russell, Blackhurst and Grady(2006 p.,1715), the present day mars are incapable of sustaining life. It therefore, follows that President Obama's vision: "to send humans to mars in the 2030's" (Dwayne Brown, NASA headquarters, Washington, n.d) may affect the individuals' health and risk their utmost survival, ranging from their long trip to their availability of food and access to health services.

According to scientists, Anand, M., Russel, S.S., Blackhurst, R.L & Grady, M.M , the climate on mars was once similar with that on earth. Data suggests that the planet was warmer with a wetter climate and had surface water. This being the case, Mars has the greatest ability for human habitation. Though the conditions have worsened over the years, the planet could create new job opportunities and sources of income (human mission to mars, 2012). However, it is estimated that a trip to and from mars would take about three years. The actual journey to reach mars would take about five months depending on the propulsion method used( human mission to mars, 2012), and another 18months waiting for the proper alignment of mars and earth for the safe departure for home. On the whole, this would be an extremely lengthy journey.

The mission would also make it a necessity for people to transport necessary supplies for survival such as food and oxygen. Realistically, it would be impossible to transport all the necessities needed from earth (Human mission to mars, 2012). This would mean that astronauts would have to be creative and come up with energy sources from raw materials on mars and food for a primary diet. They would also have to manufacture the fuel for their spacecraft for their return trip (survival on mars, 2012).

Survival on this far away planet would prove to be a challenge. During their long trip and many months on mars, the new Martian inhabitants cannot be "flown out" for a period of about two years if they become seriously ill. For this reason, their health would be at risk. This is not forgetting the extremely harmful radiations that they would be exposed to while on the planet's surface. Another health issue would be microgravity's effect on the bones. Mars has only 38% of the earth's gravity, this would have negative effects on their bodies such as muscle atrophy and a bone loss effect caused by microgravity.

Therefor landing on the moon is a enormous step towards making habitation on the moon possible. Before people land on the moon, the lengthy trip must be put into consideration with both the health and safety concerns accompanying it. Transportation of life sustaining necessities before alternatives are found must also be looked into. Health hazards after people land on the moon are also crucial points of consideration by researchers since people's safety should come first in the quest of living on the red planet.

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