If you want to build a city on Mars, what difficulties will you face?

Imagine what it would be like if we started life again on a planet 265 million kilometers away and built a city in this little red ball. Do you have to live on the ground or underground? How many people will you live with? What will the economic order be like here? Hello, everyone, I am a pioneer in science. The next step in space exploration does not need generations, it is already under way! "This is one of the most ambitious undertakings of mankind", and "it was created to extend human exploration to the farthest places in the solar system." Where is this magical planet? That is our mysterious and desolate neighbor-Mars.

Since 1975, only robots and satellites have been able to reach Mars, but now elon musk and his space exploration technology company are trying to change this story. What are their goals? That is to create a city with government, trade and culture on Mars. This plan includes 1000 spacecraft and more brave recruits. By living in an environment with low gravity, small population and limited supply, living on Mars may change the way we adapt to the decreasing resources on earth. However, due to the dependence of such pre-planning and replenishment operation, can life on Mars continue?

Every great city starts from an early age, whether it is a small fishing village in Hong Kong or a small village in Rome. So if you want this Martian colony to develop into a prosperous city, you need more than just a few people. According to the data of National Institute of Technology in Bordeaux, at least 1 10 immigrants are needed to start this adventure. Space exploration technology company's plan is to start with two spaceships, each carrying 100 people. With these explorers, the city will have enough people to build more habitats and research stations without putting your resources in danger. Of course, if you run out of food at this stage, the experiment is over.

The biggest challenge for cities is to achieve sustainable development without relying on the conventional transportation of the earth, because the conventional transportation of the earth needs to arrive every few years. You see, in its egg-shaped orbit, Mars is equivalent to 687 Earth Days a year. In order to reduce the travel time between the Earth and Mars, the replenishment plan will only be started when the Earth and Mars are in a straight line, which will only happen once every two years.

After nearly eight months of long-distance travel, the rocket may still lose all its supplies when it lands. Because the gravity on Mars is only 3/8 of that of the Earth, it is very dangerous to land safely on the surface of Mars. This has not taken into account the dust flying in the air. After all, the dust on the moon is bad enough. It got into the eyes of the astronauts and damaged the system on the spacecraft. Dust raised on Mars may be more deadly, because every particle of dust is highly oxidized and charged.

If you get to Mars safely. So now, what do you want to eat? Chlorine-containing soil on Mars is toxic. If you eat with food, it may damage your thyroid. This means that agriculture is out, at least outdoor agriculture.

But before you worry about eating, you need to build protective facilities under the harsh conditions of Mars. The atmosphere on Mars is 95% carbon dioxide, and the air is full of toxic gases. At the same time, don't forget the strong radiation on the surface of Mars. If you are exposed to more radiation and have no breathable air, you will not be able to live in an uncontrolled environment. Fortunately, with the help of these stones under your feet, you get all the protection you need. The weathering layer on the surface of Mars is only 5 meters thick, which provides the same radiation shielding ability as the earth's atmosphere. This material will be processed into cement, and layered walls will be made by robots and 3D printers, which will be a very good protective shell. What about under the shell

Since Mars has not been drilled or hydraulically fractured, the power grid on Mars can achieve sustainable development from the beginning. We will build solar panels to generate electricity and use natural gas such as methane as the engine. No matter how many people live on Mars, our footprints on Mars may be few from the beginning, and will always be maintained.

It's best to find a way to feed these people now. The low gravity on Mars may reduce your muscle mass. To stay healthy, you need to eat more protein. Eat 1 10 cooked chicken breast and 660 carrots every day. If there is an indoor farm in these domes, you can raise chickens that your city needs to feed, so that you can get the most nutritious fertilizer. If you use this fertilizer in the greenhouse, you can fertilize crops all year round. But how do you irrigate these crops? Where do you get water resources? At present, scientists are still debating whether there is liquid water under the ice of Mars. If there is, these fresh water sources can be filtered by immigrants and used for irrigation. On Mars, because of the low gravity, water is injected into the ground, and less water is needed to maintain the growth of plants than on Earth, because water is closer to the surface. Since supplies are delivered only once every two years, drinking water on Mars will change the way the city operates. The government needs to build an infrastructure to distribute and supervise water supply and hire scientists to manage the demand for filtration.

Now, the city has infrastructure and jobs. So, how would you measure your time with money? How do you pay for the products or services you consume? Cash is too heavy to travel in space with; Credit cards need wireless network service to communicate with the earth. Since there is a communication interval of 14 minutes between Mars and Earth, you will need more local things. So, you may have to use a cryptocurrency called "Mars Coin" (similar to Bitcoin), but before you board the spaceship, you need to buy it with your earth currency. Although "Mars coins" are only open to Martians, the money will be used to build a government, increase trade and improve living standards. The social order on Mars is completely new. Maybe you can trade your services or learn to barter instead of relying on this monetary system.

If everything we do is right, life on Mars may become a model of future civilization, so as to get rid of the shackles of earth civilization, or just like all science fiction movies. Maybe Mars is too dull for you, but if you really want to move to Mars, you have to challenge all possible limits. What if you go to a hell planet? That's another "if story"!