How Long Until We Colonize Mars?
What would it take to make humans a multi-planet species? Could mars really be colonized? With the prospect of ice actually being in abundance just below the surface near the poles on Mars, the plans for colonization of Mars have blossomed.
(picture by Nasa, read more: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2017/20170929-spacex-updated-colonization-plans.html)
Elon Musk is projecting a short seven years to put the first colonists on Mars! However, his plans call for a Moon Base, a kind of space station that orbits the moon. This would the jumping off place for sending colonists to Mars. He plans on using re-usable space “shuttles” to send colonists, 100 at a time, up to the moon base, then send them in a larger ship on to Mars.
(picture by SpaceX, read more: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars/overview)
All though the moon is not technically another planet, plans for sending colonists to the moon also exist, and are tightly coupled to the plans for colonizing Mars.
The Martian Chronicles
The thoughts of sending people to live on Mars is not a new concept. Ray Bradbury had his own vision of Martian Life back in 1950! His book, the Martian Chronicles is a classic. OK, so it is a little eclectic and witnesses the demise of earth, but still worth the read.
The Martian
A movie was made from this book. A man is accidentally abandoned during a storm on Mars. The story revolves around the efforts of this man to conquer Mars, and the efforts of his friends to come back and rescue him.
There are many more. Some appealing to children and young adults. The implications of life beyond earth are enormous. The race to get there is being joined by governments and private industry. The dreams of getting there have long been in the consciousness of man. Will we make history in some short seven years? We are only limited by our own imagination.
Other Adventures
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