Life on Mars

This is a subtopic of the main page, Aspiring Martians Wiki.

The planet Mars has a lot of differences from Earth which makes life very unlikely without technological aid and supplies from Earth. In order to sustain biological organisms, and more importantly human beings, closed environments with artificial conditions similar to those found on Earth have to be built.

Once the requirements for long term survival have been met, activites of exploration and scientific research ensues.

Having an efficient means of communication between the two planet although not critical for life, is essencial for Mars One's endeavor.

Life suitability
The classical conditions for life to thrive are :
 * Liquid water
 * Elements needed for metabolism (food and air composition)
 * Energy source
 * Environmental conditions (radiation and temperature protection and air pressure)

Although it is possible that life could exist in a different form, those still are the requirements for that found on Earth.

Nasa's rovers have already found that all the main chemical elements for life are present and could be extracted.

Habitats
See Mars Habitats

Food
See Food on Mars

Power
Electrical energy is generated through the application of thin film solar photovoltaic panels. These are flexible and can be rolled up for compact transportation to Mars.

Other methods of power generation that could potentially be used on Mars are not yet available as existing technology. The most commonly referred to alternative is nuclear power. While nuclear power is a commonly used technology on Earth, a nuclear power generator for use on Mars does not yet exist, and will take many years to develop.

Discussion

 * Battery life
 * Alternative power sources
 * Wind
 * Nuclear

Backup
Once all necessary systems are working fine, a little more redundancy should be built in order to survive rarer events that can make survival harsher.

Hazards
See Hazards

Self-sufficiency
See Self-sufficiency

Daily routine
See Daily Life

Communication
See Communication

Calendar and talking about time with Earth
See Timekeeping on Mars

Exploration and Science
See Exploration and Science on Mars