One thing to land , another to live.

Is living on Mars ever a possibility?

Nasa'a Perseverance Rover, landed on February 18th 2021, with a mission to gather evidence of past ancient life and microbial activity. With the daunting concept that planet Earth will one day be no longer a suitable home for us humans, it makes us think: where are we going next? The constant reminder of climate change presented by activist Greta Thunberg makes the threat of a planet evacuation all too real.

BUT.

This idea is merely a pipe dream. Not only has Mars never been explored by humans but its atmospheric conditions make it impossible to currently live there. If one day there were technological advancements that did make it possible, there is nearly 100% certainty that the average person wouldn't even step foot on the spaceship. The Red Planet is a promise land. A place with no pandemics, politics or any problems for that matter. It's an ideology and a hope that the human race will find freedom to start again, once our planet has been outlived.

The Facts :

To start, Mars is freezing. Our English 15 degrees heat would be something to relish, in comparison to Mar's that can drop to a low of -126 degrees Celsius. Strap into to your seats and get comfy because this flight will take around 7 months at least. Then, after landing breathing may pose a challenge. Mars is made up of mostly carbon dioxide meaning you'd struggle to find much oxygen. Healths risks are inevitable as well, as Mars has 38% of Earths gravity. The list goes on and on even right down to the toxicity of the soil.

Despite freezing to death, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is optimistic to arrive on Mars by 2030. The current development of the reusable launch vehicle 'Starship' will aim to not only place flags and footprints on the planet but is designed to transport materials in hopes to eventually colonise Mars. Elon is a firm believer that “we need to be a multi-planet species.”

So to be honest, there could be a chance to reach Mars, however it's unlikely it will be anytime soon. Without finding a way to heat up the planet, survival is non existent. Not to mention living on a planet without coffee shops or takeaways. The uncertainty of mission Mars is exciting however until we successfully step foot there, it's nothing but a dream.