Men on Mars?

In our ongoing quest to explore the place in which we live, we have reached beyond Earth into outer space. First, people dreamed of traveling to the moon. That has been accomplished. Now, scientists at NASA are investigating what it would take to send people to Mars.

According to NASA, a primary concern with a Mars landing is astronaut safety. Mars lacks the ozone layer of Earth’s atmosphere, increasing the amount of solar ultraviolet radiation that reaches the planet. Scientists also want to learn more about the chemical aspects of the Martian soil before exposing people to that environment. Also, more studies need to be conducted on the prolonged effects of low gravity on the human body. After spending several weeks in space on shuttles or the space station, some astronauts reported experiencing blurred vision. Finally, there is the question of the psychological effect of being so far from Earth for an extended period of time.

Currently, NASA plans to use robots to explore the Martian environment. Robots will analyze the radiation in the atmosphere and search for water resources. Before humans travel to the red planet, technology will need to be developed for descent and landing to keep the level and effect of g-forces safe for humans.

Why are agencies such as NASA putting time and money into research? In the past, the development of technology for the space program has had benefits here on Earth. Some areas include medicine, recycling, solar energy, and others.

News sources cite reports of people signing up to go to Mars, a multibillion-dollar venture. Why? Humans are, by nature, explorers, and the pull to the unknown is strong to the human spirit. Those who take a slightly more scientific approach would like to investigate possible life forms on Mars. They wonder what Mars can teach us about Earth.