Hey there, fellow space travelers! Today, we’re in Iceland, but the landscape makes us think we’re on Mars. With so much news about Mars lately, we thought it would be fun to talk about the five things you would love and the five things you would hate if you visit Mars.
Love #1: Making History
If you decide to visit Mars, you’ll be one of the first humans to ever do so. You’ll be remembered forever, just like Neil Armstrong. If you like to blaze new travel paths, take risks and explore the unknown, then Mars is the perfect vacation destination for you!
Hate #1: Weather on Mars
No matter where you go on Mars, it’s going to be cold. Like 200 degrees below zero cold. There’s also crazy wind and dust storms that will drive you crazy. Then you get the solar storms and radiation from the sun is probably enough to kill you.
Love #2: Exploring Uncharted Territory
If the thought of being the “Lewis and Clark” of outer space is appealing, you’ll love going to Mars! There are very few unexplored areas of earth left, so visiting Mars opens up a whole new world of possibilities for explorers.
Hate #2: Finding Accommodation on Mars
As any pioneer will tell you, being the first to visit a new region means you might have a hard time finding accommodation. Until Mars travel becomes more mainstream and tourism infrastructure is developed, there won’t be many places to stay. You might have to bring your own accommodation to Mars. And you will need shelter because there’s not enough oxygen to breathe on your own on Mars.
Love #3: Running Fun Science Experiments
Being the first to explore Mars means you get to conduct all of the experiments that you want. Dig up some soil, take some air samples and melt some of the ice you find on Mars. You’re starting with a clean slate on a planet just waiting for new discoveries!
Hate #3: Your Fellow Travelers
When you finally get to visit Mars, you’ll most likely be in close quarters with your travel partners. Chances are, these travel partners will be chosen for you, so you may or may not like them from the start. Eventually, spending that much time with anyone is bound to drive you a little crazy. Just the trip to Mars is going to take two years, so by the time you arrive, you might already be sick of your travel partners.
Love #4: 2 Years of Down Time En Route
For many of us, a couple of uninterrupted hours on a plane is pure bliss. It’s a chance to catch up on the book you’re reading or the Netflix series you’re watching. Now imagine having two years on a plane! Think of all the shows and movies you can catch up on!
Hate #4: Loneliness on Mars
It’s very barren on Mars; there are no locals to meet. (That we know of!) Even communicating with your friends and family back home can be challenging. Communication between the Earth and Mars can take anywhere from four to 24 minutes, so don’t plan on getting any FaceTime calls on your birthday! Better brush up on your email writing skills.
Love #5: Body Changes
You’ll have zero gravity en route to Mars, and low gravity once you arrive on Mars. With shrinking bone density and muscle mass, you’ll probably weigh a lot less when you return to Earth. It may not be the best way to lose weight, and it’s certainly not the cheapest!
Hate #5: Mars Travel is Expensive
Looking for a budget vacation? Mars is not it! A trip to Mars can cost billions of dollars. The flights are long and inconvenient, and you’ll need a lot of money to cover your expenses once you arrive. It takes so long to get there, that you’re going to need a lot of vacation time. Flights are limited to a few days every 26 months, so your timing better be just right!
While it may be a while before we can actually travel to Mars, it’s fun to think about the possibilities. And by supporting NASA and encouraging science programs in local schools, Mars travel may not be as far away as you think! Want some of our actual travel tips? Check out some of our other blog posts: