Fundamentals of human physical growth on mars

Abstract

Space colonization makes sense if we humans will be able to renew life and humanity beyond the Earth. We can foresee the possibility of human growth on the Martian surface since this planet has an environment that could be suitable to host humans and some other organic organisms (Bennett et al. 2003, Tokano 2005). The relative similarities from Earth - including the availability of ground ice on Mars, a Martian rotational period of only 37 minutes longer than 24 hours, and the presence of Mars seasons much like those on Earth (though about twice longer because the Martian orbital period is 1.88 Earth years), can make Mars arguably an ideal hospitable planet. There are also important differences to consider in any future Mars colonization. A low average surface temperature of -53°C due to the Mars eccentric orbit, the reduced atmospheric pressure of 0.005 bar, and a surface gravity of a little more than one third that of the Earth, namely gMars=3.7 m/s2 (or 38% of the mean gravitational acceleration on Earth). © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.