MARS VERSUS THE MOON 3
Just like the Earth, Mars has its own atmosphere. The dominant gas is carbon dioxide
which can be harnessed by man to grow plants. However, the planet lacks oxygen for humans.
The atmosphere on the plant facilitates winds to blow and in the process helps to achieve
optimum temperature equilibrium between day and night. The presence of an atmosphere allows
human beings to build structures and pressurized domes for habitation (Kral et al., 2016). On the
other hand, the moon lacks an atmosphere, making it dangerous for human settlement as harmful
ultra-violet rays from the Sun can penetrate to the moon’s surface (Sasaki & Barnes, 2014). As
such, people would be forced to live in caves in order to avoid harmful radiation. The lack of an
atmosphere also means that the moon does not have the ability to regulate extreme temperature
changes between the day and night making it an undesirable destination for colonization.
Recent scientific research has revealed the presence of water on the subsurface of the
planet Mars (Kral et al., 2016). The presence of water would facilitate the growth of plants and
human consumption. There is also the possibility of using water to generate oxygen for
breathing. While the moon has also has water, most of it is found on the poles (Sasaki & Barnes,
2014). As such, people would be forced to live there, and the possibility of congestion makes it a
less likely candidate for colonization.
It is evident that human beings are more likely to colonize Mars first at the expense of the
moon. The red planet is an ideal candidate due to its favorable length of the day being almost
similar to that of the Earth. The planet also has an atmosphere which allows for temperature
equilibrium between the day and night making it hospitable. Finally, the plausibility of accessing
water throughout the planet means that people will have access to it regardless of where they
settle. These reasons encapsulate why Mars is a better candidate for human colonization as
compared to the moon.
