Three main conditions for permanent residence on Mars were stated
For humanity to live permanently on Mars, it is necessary to establish reliable communication with Earth, set up cargo transportation between the two planets, and create conditions for human survival. Chinese researcher Zhang Jiajun listed the three main tasks in the exploration of the Red Planet.
Three main conditions listed for permanent settlement on Mars
According to a report by Naked Science referencing Global Times, a junior researcher at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences outlined these views in an article titled "Why Are We Heading to Mars?"
The first task is to establish an information exchange between Earth and Mars. This is crucial for communicating with spacecraft and precisely determining their trajectories.
Zhang stated that a radio interferometry system developed under the leadership of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory helps calculate the trajectory of Mars-bound spacecraft with high precision and insert them into orbit. This technology was tested during the "Tianwen-1" mission.
The second task is to establish the transport of cargo and samples between the two planets. Humanity has learned to send spacecraft to Mars, but there is currently no practically proven technology to return materials from there back to Earth.
China plans to conduct the "Tianwen-3" mission in this direction. It is scheduled to launch around 2028, with the intention of bringing Martian soil samples to Earth around 2031.
The third task is to sustain human life on Mars. Temperatures on the Red Planet are extremely low, radiation levels are high, gravity is weak, and atmospheric pressure is low. Access to water and oxygen is also limited.
The scientist noted that it is necessary to determine how local Martian resources can be used for human habitation and conducting scientific research.
Nevertheless, Zhang considers Mars an achievable target for humanity in stepping beyond the boundaries of the Earth-Moon system.
He explained that Mercury is too close to the Sun, while conditions on Venus are extremely unfavorable for colonization. Other celestial bodies are located much farther away.
Mars, however, has a thin atmosphere and water ice. The duration of a day and the change of seasons are similar to those on Earth. According to the researcher, these characteristics could make the Red Planet an important intermediate step on the path toward an interplanetary civilization.