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| medium.com |
Mars seems a good choice. However, the journey to Mars takes months, and even it is dependent on alignment with our planet. Its distance usually increases the communication delay to 4 minutes. In the case of a fatal emergency, leaving a mission and taking it back home or asking for help is just a failed attempt to rescue.
Even small satellites require large, fuel-hungry rockets to be delivered into space, so exchanging infrastructure for building entire colonies is, at least currently, impossible.
The possibility of colonization is more likely on a celestial body that is closer to our planet, so close that we feel and bear witness to its magnificent presence every night. The moon, which is dedicated to its orbit around us, is only 3 days away as if the communication delay is only seconds. These aspects may allow for the cohesiveness of immediate retreats or to be more successful. The exchange of infrastructure is not a big deal.
Despite these features, why do space explorers persist to favor Mars instead?
1. Lack of an environment
Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo mission transported about 840 pounds of moon rock and soil back to Earth. These samples showed that the geology of the Moon closely resembles that of the Earth, suggesting that the Moon is a catastrophic collision with another celestial body in space by co-forming a massively scattered portion of the Earth's mass. Is formed due toOn the other hand, the core of Mars is quite a different element. Inhabiting Mars is more promising because like our planet, it is surrounded and protected by an environment. Even though its atmosphere is not like ours to maintain the pressurized oxygen that is required to survive, it still protects the planet from the devastating barrage of meteorites, the atmospheric layer will protect us from the sun's UV rays as well. Without it, we will fry on the moon in seconds.
Mars is also subject to winds and weather, while the temperature on the Moon varies between 253 ° F and -387 ° F on a single day.
The gravity of Mars is less than that of Earth but sufficient to lure gases and create atmosphere.
Its gravity is one-third that of Earth, which will need some time for settlers to get accustomed to it. The gravity of the Moon is 1 / 6th of the Earth.
In addition, the lunar surface is completely plagued by lunar dust. Dust known as a regolith can cause permanent damage to expensive exploration machinery.
2. The presence of water
Lunar prospector and Clementine Probe indicated that the moon was home to an ocean of water, a few billion metric tons, which froze under a thick layer of cold and dust and ice. Water can be consumed, added to food, and even mediate hygiene. Its components can also be broken down to remove oxygen for breathing!In addition, the energy produced by the recombination of these elements can be used to make rocket fuel.
In fact, it is no wonder that water is considered the most important substance in space.
Oxygen, by some miraculous technology, can also be extracted from the regolith, which is 42% oxygen. This oxygen can then be conjugated to hydrogen to form water and fuel. A thick cloak of this dust can also protect residents from radiation.
Even taking all of them into account, scientists are still uncertain about the presence of water on the moon. The evidence collected by the missions never materialized. After detecting hydrogen near the poles, the Lunar prospector was expected to deliberately put it into the South Polar Pit at the end of his mission that water could drain from the surface after this effect. Nothing of any kind was observed.
Another downside is that landing on their surface is a difficult challenge. The poles vibrate compared to other areas of the moon. Even though the benefits of the moon's terraforming may reduce its risks, scientists continue to dismiss it, because at the end of the day, it is cold, hard, barren and a dangerous place to live.
Considering the cost and convenience of travel, the Moon is an ideal place to settle financially.

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