Though NASA is enthusiastically coming up with numerous plans to establish human civilization on Mars and make it habitable by coming up with ideas like blanketing its thin atmosphere with a magnetic shield, will these plans be enough for the astronomers to survive?
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"If you are unprotected on Mars ... your blood would boil, even at ambient temperature," said planetary scientist Pascal Lee, who's based at NASA's Ames Research Center and the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, both in California.
"All the gases that are dissolved in your bloodstream [would] just turn into bubbles. Like popping a can of Coke, you would fizz to death. And that's within seconds," he said during a webcast interview at the 2017 Humans to Mars Summit, which is underway in Washington, D.C.
The spacefarers going to Mars would face these five life-threatening issues, hence they should be cautious to survive on the planet:
Radiation Exposure:
One of the major health hazards that the spacefarers face is radiation exposure, as the atmosphere of the Red Planet lacks the protective layer of magnetosphere unlike Earth. This makes Mars' surface prone to solar particles' shower and high-energy cosmic rays that will be injurious for the health of Mars explorers.
"Space radiation is mellow in some places on Mars. We expect it to be higher where there is hydrogen near the ground," Lee explained.
"In any case, it is something that, over course of months, would end up killing you as well," he added.
Low Atmospheric Pressure:
The barometric pressure or the atmospheric pressure on Mars is low, around a hundred times thinner than that of Earth which can instantly kill a human.
Icy Martian Climate:
The Martian climate at the equator during day-time in summers can spike up to 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit), and drop to 62 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) during night-time, which can freeze humans to death.
"This is something that would kill you over the course of hours if you are not properly warmed," Lee stated.
Mars' Atmospheric Composition:
The Red Planet's atmosphere comprises of approximately 96 percent of carbon dioxide in contrast to Earth and humans can't survive without breathing oxygen. This would result into death due to hypoxia – a condition where oxygen doesn't reach the tissues in our body.
Martian Dust:
The Martian surface is covered with abrasive dust that's finely grained and toxic in nature. This dust has the potential to harm human lungs and kill anyone who is exposed to it for weeks.
"You would die over the course of weeks if you were exposed to Martian dust," Lee revealed.
