One clear need we will have is, simply put, how we’ll get from place to place. Clearly, we need a vehicle that can run without the need for common fuel systems like oil & gas. It also needs to be capable of not only holding a charge but being capable of charging quickly. We also need to be prepared for potential wild weather issues, as well as possible solar radiation exposure even if we’re wearing uniforms. Thus, most Martian vehicles will likely look a lot like some armored military vehicles you’ve likely seen or used on a Call of Duty or Battlefield video game. On top of some futuristic concepts too.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]These vehicles will run on batteries that are specially designed to hold a charge for 600 regular miles or more. We’ll also be able to introduce solar panels to the vehicles where they will be able to potentially charge the battery while it is in use. Thereby never losing a charge and allowing someone to travel as long as they need to. This is only if the batteries are capable of not only charging fast but also do not need to have incredibly high solar energy rates to do so. While Mars does have a lot of solar energy to provide, we cannot expect this to always work in our favor. With Tesla being known for their batteries and Elon Musk wanting to provide aid to those on Mars, one would conclude that Tesla can make batteries capable of this.
Right now, hypersonic planes are currently in development that will allow us to travel into at least low-orbit space using these fast planes. Rather than using a jet engine that would burn through the air, these hypersonic space planes will use rocket engines that will burn liquid fuel instead. It is possible that a hybrid engine will be utilized that allows the plane to take off using a jet engine. However, once it reaches the Karman line (where space officially begins), it will be able to turn on the liquid fuel to use rockets for travel.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]Since hypersonic planes literally pass the speed of sound with their speed, they are able to reach over 3,000 mph. This can be a huge asset that we’ll use on Earth. When it comes to Mars, these planes will likely be massive. While this is not fast enough to get us from Mars to Earth at a fast rate, it can allow for NASA or other space programs to land anywhere and be picked up by a hypersonic plane. This can be useful for supply drops, and it can also allow colonization to take place planet-wide. Thereby allowing for more widespread development on the planet as well as scientific experimentation. Life on Mars will be much easier with these things around.
Initially, Mars will not be a place where technological innovation will take place. We’ll be more focused on some experimentation, but for the most part, making settlements where people can survive. This is a key need for us as a species, therefore, we cannot forget that the true mission at first will literally be to “survive.” What of the long-term though? Well, if we’re going to make Mars a viable option for humans to stay for good, there will be needs. The cool part is that unlike what we see on Earth, the people of Mars will get all the supplies they technically need. This is where some great opportunities will come up.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]While we’re still getting supplies, scientists and inventors can begin working on technology that will benefit those specifically on Mars. Yet they can also now try to use the nearly unlimited supplies Mars itself provides to make things. With 3D Printers now becoming incredibly advanced, it is likely for example that the printers will be able to use Martian rocks or soil. With resources being present, we can use them to make 3D Printed homes. We can also use them to make different devices. We might also discover Mars metals that can be even better than our own. It doesn’t end here, as we will have the room to do so much with endless supplies. This will be key to life on Mars being bearable for people long-term. Reaching a planet with advanced tech can feel like you never left home.
Let’s face it, gravity levels on Mars are going to become a huge problem for the long-term health of human beings. We might not be able to do much about this for the first decade or two of Martian colonization. However, this will not be possible to ignore for much longer than that if humans are to remain on Mars long-term. We need to have the ability to control gravitational levels. You might be thinking, “How can we change Martian gravity to fit our needs? That would be nearly impossible to do!” You are not wrong to think this. This is why we’ll need to create artificial gravity inside buildings and especially inside our homes.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]It is possible that we might not be able to do this on a large scale at first, giving rise to artificial gravity bubbles where people will need to spend at least 20 to 40 hours during a Martian week. It is likely we’ll be able to make several of these bubbles, allowing for every new Martian citizen to spend time in them each day. As we’re able to expand the artificial gravity rates, we’ll be able to increase the size of bubbles. Eventually, we’ll be capable of putting artificial gravity into every dome, building, and home on Mars. Robotics and 3D Printing will likely become a huge help with this. Having this will also be useful for future space exploration too.
Remember that whole “technology” thing discussion we had a few entries back? It is clear that we need to have more advanced technology but perhaps the one thing hurting Mars from being anywhere close to Earth-like is its terrible magnetosphere. The atmosphere here cannot improve at all due to it. Radiation levels from the atmosphere as well as what comes from our Sun are deadly. How do we correct this? Well, the answer is simple but the execution is clearly not. We correct this by fixing the magnetosphere. However, doing this is pretty much impossible.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]The best thing we can do, instead, is to eventually create a forcefield that can block out solar issues to make our planet similar to Earth in how it is protected from solar and even some cosmic energy threats. Earth’s magnetosphere is insanely massive and it’s likely why we’re even alive today. Humans cannot last on a planet without a strong magnetosphere, at least not without protective gear. This is why if we want to make Mars similar to Earth, we need to create a forcefield that will help us. It might be small at first, but it remains in one spot to block out the Sun, connected by Martian Gravity. Eventually, it’ll need to cover the entire planet.
While hypersonic planes will likely be a huge asset for us to use on Mars to get necessary supplies to people all over the Martian planet, we need to get to Earth quicker. If we’re being honest, we really need Earth rockets to get supplies to Mars much faster. As settlements expand, it is likely that supplies and resources can run out much quicker than intended. This is especially true if children are ever born on the planet. How do we fix this predicament? Simple. We just make rockets much faster. The question is, well, how can we do that? There are actually already several proposals for this. One recent thing NASA has been working on involves nuclear thermal & nuclear electric propulsion systems.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]It is claimed that rockets using these will be able to cut Mars trips down from 6 to 7 months all the way to just 45 days. We need you to comprehend that for a second. Just under a month and a half versus 6 to 7 months. By the way, that is even when factoring in Mars being further. Another idea has been the use of antimatter as a fuel source. Technically, when antimatter comes in contact with the mass of a particle it annihilates, it creates pure energy. Yet it cannot be used as a fuel source alone. This is when we’d need atom smashers, which use powerful super magnets to propel atoms at near-light speed according to CERN. For life on Mars to be possible, we need supplies to get from Earth faster and these can be viable options to help.
Initially, housing on Mars is going to be quite limited. The plan is to use Robotic AI to craft buildings for us, likely with the use of specialized 3D Printers. Yet even with this stuff, housing is going to be restricted to some small buildings. This means you might see something that is big enough for 1 to 4 people, acting as a home for you alone. This will likely result in several pod-like homes being in the same spot. Life on Mars will hopefully become easier and result in more people coming to the red planet. That would result in other homes being formed.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]All of these homes will be made in the same spot at first. Mostly because we want to ensure everyone is taken care of and accounted for. As the population begins to expand on Mars, we will see people placed in other locations. Of course, the amount of time this takes to happen will be based entirely on the supplies we have. Plus, the success of survival for current settlers. The amount coming over will only increase as time goes on. Meaning, we cannot place small homes next to each other for long. We will be better off expanding out to cover more land on the planet.
As more people come to the planet, expansion will begin and that means we will have multiple Martian communities. Of course, a leader will be established among the original settlers but this will not last forever. Either because the original leader decides to go back to Earth or he or she passes away. This means we will likely have a democratic voting process (considering its popularity on Earth). That person will become the head of the initial community. However, more communities mean more leaders will be needed as one person cannot run things for an entire planet alone. From here, more people will be given political power for their specific community.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]Think of it like a Mayoral or Gubernatorial role where that person makes the decisions for their community. Of course, some communities might be broken up based on the jobs they hold. For example, the original settlers will have various roles key to what is needed for scientific experimentation. As time goes on, more people with more skills will be around. We also cannot forget those that might be brought over to specifically work for private space programs. Thus, we might have a community for just scientists and another that is responsible for plants and crops, for instance. Thus, just like on Earth, the leadership of a community will be crucial.
When we discuss colonies, we have to think of it similar to how you might think about entire countries. Sure, communities will be run a lot like a city or town you see on Earth. However, entire colonies will take up a lot of space and by this point, they will have their own food and water system. Colonies will have their own communities as well and could involve thousands of people. If we make it to colony level, we know life on Mars is flourishing. Mostly because, in order to reach this, we will have figured out not only how to survive here. We will have found a way for life on Mars to be easy and comfortable, the same as on Earth.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]Does this mean we will have a similar capitalistic system where money will be used in exchange for goods and services? While possible, it is more likely that trades will be made instead. It might also come down to a need to offer some type of service in place of another. One colony may have a great way of purifying water and adding different tastes to it. While the other has been able to artificially alter the taste of crops to taste exactly like meat products from Earth. This exchange of services and goods will benefit entire colonies. Life on Mars will be easier to deal with using this ideology rather than paying with money because everyone’s needs will be addressed like this.
Many will be wondering if we can fix the magnetosphere issue, can we terraform Mars? This is a good question to ask. Mostly because, if we want long-term life on Mars to be comfortable for humans, terraforming it makes sense. We need to have a planet that is capable of sustaining human life. The issue is that to terraform Mars, we would need to change a lot about it. Most of this could take several years to pull off. It would involve trying to heat up the environment and fixing areas in the atmosphere, much of which would involve the removal of major toxins and radiation.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]In theory, if we can stop the major solar issue, radiation levels might begin to drop. Of course, this also means we’d need to rely on the planetary forcefield that has to always work and never die. This is not a reliable concept, so in order to truly terraform Mars, we will most certainly need to find ways to improve the magnetosphere to Earth or near-Earth level. If we can do this, fixing the atmosphere will be much easier. Keep in mind too that it isn’t like we’ll have a “terraforming machine” like you see in comic books. Terraformation is a long-term “process.” One thing we might not be able to fix is gravitational levels, as this is not part of the terraformation process.
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