When will we be able to live on mars?

Answer 1

If by 'we' you mean astronauts who are conducting research on Mars, then sometime after 2020.

If by 'we' you mean you and others who are not astronauts, then never.

Just because manned missions are being planned for the planet Mars does not mean citizens are going to jump aboard a shuttle and go run around on Mars. Mars is not habitable without constructing biodomes. The atmosphere is not breathable and the radiation would kill a man.

Answer 2

Good question.

The big problem is getting there. Right now we do not have spacecraft able to carry people to Mars, much less support a colony.

Acutally living there we could do. mars is hostile--you can't breath the air or walk outside without a spacesuit. But Mars does have water and practically everything else needed for people to live. And, since there is some air and gravity, it would probably be a lot easier thn living on a space station like the ISS, wich we can already do.

When? The first trip to Mars isn't likely to happen for at least 30 years. Even then, it will be years more before there will be a permanant base on Mars. So don't expect to see that until the 2050s (a half century from now) at thevery earliest. Technically, it could happen a lot sooner--but Congress isn't likely to be willing to commit the kind of money that would require.

Answer 3

Theoretically we might have to. In about 5 billion years the earth will become uninhabitable. As a result, humans will need to find somewhere else to live. If not, then we become extinct.

Theoretical scientists are already devising plans to terraform Mars. Machines to chew up the planet surface and pollute the sky to induce global warming. Once the temperature is raised then they can transplant plant life to consume the abundance of CO2 on Mars and generate breathable air. In theory after a century of that (assuming success) then the planet will have an atmosphere capable of human life.

But there are other problems - solar radiation etc - humans would need to wear sunblock 2000 or such to survive the radiation...... and many other problems have already been discussed.

Answer 4

You can already. If you can afford to pay for it.

As with all things, the biggest roadblock to the colonization of Mars is money. All the necessary technology is already available, the financial backing just doesn't exist. If you did go, you'd have to spend your entire time indoors or in a pressure suit. Mars' atmosphere is a mere fraction the thickness of Earth's.

Also, the gravity of Mars is one third of Earth's. You can go live there, but your bones and muscle tissue will weaken. If you stayed too long, you'd never be able to stand up or walk on Earth again.

Because of the gravity issue, its unlikely humanity will ever establish permanent settlements on Mars. A person who would grow up on Mars wouldn't be able to visit Earth. They would be too weak to stand, and would even have trouble breathing due to the force of gravity on the muscles in their chest.

Human colonization of space will most likely take the form of those funny spinning wheel space stations you see in science fiction. Humans will ideally create artificial habitats with Earth-like environments. These habitats also allow for artificial gravity (through the force of the spin, like an amusement park ride) with the same strength as Earth's, so Humans would live under the same conditions everywhere.

Answer 5

Why would we want to? Its very far away. The cost of going there is astronomical. (pun intended) There is no usable air or water and there is nothing that could be mined that would justify the cost of colonization. If the place was covered with gold it still wouldn't be cost-effective to go there and pick it up.

The Biosphere II experiment, albeit an experiment performed by a new age group rather than a recognized scientific institution, was still fairly well designed and constructed, and it was an unqualified disaster. We don't know how to set up the self sustaining biological system we would require to live on that planet. Mars in unforgiving. One breakdown or lack of a part would condemn colonists to certain death.
I hate to break it to you: There is absolutely no reason to even GO to mars, much less colonize the place. Doing so would only be a political gesture. There is no economic, military, or even much of a scientific reason to go there. Our robots can perform all the tests that scientists need to do.

Answer 6

Living on Mars would be about 1,000 times more difficult than controlling global warming and all kinds of environmental problems on Earth. So if all environmental problems are solved on Earth, then maybe with that scientific and technological know how we would could make Mars habitable. In its natural state Mars is totally uninhabitable.

Answer 7

The day Mars gets an atmosphere identical to Earth, the ability to support water and life, heats up a bit, and gets more fertile soil.

Which will be never.

Answer 8

We could do it already, provided the people on the surface had a consistent and sufficient stream of supplies. Surviving on the surface of Mars isn't so much of a problem, the real problem is getting yourself, your food, your water and your oxygen there.

Answer 9

Most likely not within our life-time.

It is extremely difficult to find a solution to transport humans and cargo to Mars.

Though, the thought is possible.

Answer 10

Richard Branson's Virgin are flying there from Jan 2008. Book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.