Life on Mars: science facts vs science fiction
SIR – Prof Stephen Hawking (report, June 21) says that we must establish colonies on the Moon and Mars to create a future for the “doomed’’ human race. Elon Musk (report, June 22) predicts a city of a million on Mars within 50 years.
The atmosphere on Mars is 95 per cent carbon dioxide, with only 0.13 per cent oxygen. The surface temperature averages minus 55C.
So the inhabitants would have to wear space suits permanently and breathe air produced on Mars from liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen brought from Earth, and put at high pressure into portable cylinders.
Mr Musk also says that 1,000 cargo “ships’’, each carrying 200 passengers and materials, will travel back and forth between Earth and Mars to build homes, industrial plants and shops. This will all begin within 10 years, he says.
Am I alone in believing all this is completely unrealistic?
James Allan
Hartlepool, Co Durham