Mars could become humanity's second home by 2050, says space resources engineer

If humanity is to set up a colony on another planet beyond Earth, Mars is widely considered the most suitable choice in the solar system. To that end, back in 2016, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had shared a plan to build a Martian city of a million people by 2050. While several scientists and experts believe this timeline is unrealistic, one space engineer argues the goal could be achievable. Meanwhile, national space agencies are making their own plans: China is aiming to execute crewed Mars missions starting in 2033, while NASA is gearing up to land astronauts on the Red Planet in the late 2030s or early 2040s.

“I believe by 2050 we will have a human colony on Mars,” said Serkan Saydam, an official at the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research and a professor at the University of New South Wales. Once humans arrive, the next challenge is survival. To build a successful colony, settlers will have to depend upon local resources. Saydam noted that the first step must be to extract water from Martian ice to sustain agriculture. Additionally, hydrogen separated from the water can also be used as rocket propellant, thus enabling refueling on Mars.

This is an illustration by SpaceX depicting a city on Mars.

While self-sufficiency is the ultimate goal, Saydam emphasized that early colonies will still heavily rely on our home planet. “Most of the equipment and tools will be sent from Earth. I don't think you can manufacture a truck on the Mars surface,” he explained. Furthermore, a permanent outpost requires economic independence to survive. Alongside space tourism, Saydam suggests that space mining could turn out to be a highly profitable venture. A Martian base could serve as a stepping stone to mine nearby asteroids for valuable minerals.

This artist’s illustration by NASA shows human habitats and astronauts on the surface of Mars.

Despite Mars being the most viable option for a human colony, it might turn out to be difficult, as the atmosphere of Mars contains more than 95% carbon dioxide. Adding to that, the temperature stays around -80°F (-60° C). Moreover, the journey from Earth to Mars usually takes roughly seven to nine months, while the planet is always exposed to cosmic radiation.

That said, former NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Jim Green believes the drive to explore Mars will not be fading anytime soon. Speaking about this enthusiasm, he noted, “I think the generation today is the Mars generation. When we landed Curiosity on Mars, we had the world's attention. I immediately recognized there is a new generation in town, and it's the Mars generation.”

Currently, NASA is actively exploring the Red Planet to understand its geology in detail. Its active orbiter fleet includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, and MAVEN. These orbiters collect important data about the planet’s surface, mineral composition, and water and ice deposits. Additionally, rovers such as Curiosity and Perseverance are contributing significantly towards NASA’s attempt to find any potential signs of ancient life on Mars. Meanwhile, NASA is also planning to execute human missions on the Red Planet in the future.