What are the Prospects for Colonizing Mars?
Mars is the friendliest body in the Solar System for colonization aside from possibly the Moon, which deserves the title only for its proximity to the Earth and low escape velocity. The five elements absolutely essential in large quantities for life – carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and calcium, are all present on Mars. The atmosphere is only 3% nitrogen in comparison to our 80%, but this is enough to support a colonization effort and eventually, with terraforming, even a limited biosphere. In contrast, the Moon lacks substantial quantities of carbon, nitrogen, or hydrogen. Mars has a gravity level of 0.38g relative to Earth’s 1g. This is the closest to Earth that can be found on theoretically habitable bodies in the Solar System, but still, it’s quite low, and could give rise to numerous health problems associated with lower gravity levels. At the very least, it would make it incredibly difficult — or most likely, impossible — for people who grow up on Mars to take trips on the Ea
